What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Trek: Academy #1
Collision Course
No one knows Captain James T. Kirk better than William Shatner, who portrayed him throughout Star Trek, the Original Series, and seven subsequent Star Trek feature films, making him in the process one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable science fiction characters on the planet. Since then, William Shatner has continued to explore and expand the career of Captain Kirk in no less than nine successful Star Trek novels. Now he turns his attention to the one part of Kirk's backstory that still remains a tantalising mystery, and one that his fans have always wanted to read - his formative years at Starfleet Academy.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2007
About the author
William Shatner
107 books773 followersWilliam Shatner is the author of nine Star Trek novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Ashes of Eden and The Return. He is also the author of several nonfiction books, including Get a Life! and I'm Working on That. In addition to his role as Captain James T. Kirk, he stars as Denny Crane in the hit television series from David E. Kelley, Boston Legal -- a role for which he has won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
March 19, 2009
It is always with a certain amount of trepidation that I watch or read something "historical" that is set within the Star Trek universe that I love. I am not the kind of geek who lives and dies by the canon, but still I don't quite like it when writers muck about too much with things that might not quite jive with it. This is one of (the many) reasons for my concern and hesitation regarding the forthcoming Star Trek movie "prequel," and it has ended up coloring, to a certain extent, my enjoyment of this very serviceable Trek novel.
As usual, Mr. Shatner is assisted by a couple of well-known (in Trek circles, anyway) co-writers, the Reeves-Stevenses, and it is unknown just what the extent of their involvement is. I was something of a fan of Shatner's "TekWar" series of novels, and though they were, I'm fairly certain, ghost-written, they were understood to be largely Mr. Shatner's work. My feeling is that he is the "idea man," and that he and his co-writers work together to build the plot and storyline, while they do most of the heavy-lifting. Ultimately, it's not really all that important, as this is still a Star Trek novel, whether it's written by William Shatner or Joe Bob Davis. What Shatner does bring to this novel, presumably, is a unique perspective into the mind and motivations of the main protagonist--James T. Kirk, rebellious youth.
Overall, this is a nice little book. There's some good character interaction, a bit of peril that's not too over-the-top, and a somewhat interesting main plot that ties into a part of Kirk's past and allows for a large helping of surprisingly good exploration of that part.
I particularly enjoyed some of the interactions between Spock and his parents. I felt like they captured these characters possibly the best out of all of them. We see Spock struggling with his human side, Sarek living in denial, and Amanda trying to be understanding to both and hold the family together. It's a good dynamic and well realized. The same cannot be said for the Kirk family characterization.
But where this book falters, for me, is in those parts that become a bit uncertain when held up to the light of canon Trek. Not that anything in the book (so far as I noticed, anyway) directly conflicts with anything that was explicitly covered by the original series episodes. The trouble is more in that, had these events happened, they most certainly would have been discussed in any of several of the original episodes where they might have been relevant.
That Kirk and Spock might have been friends before the vulcan served with Captain Pike on the Enterprise was never explicitly denied, but you would think that Kirk would have been more familiar with Spock's history with that captain, had they been friends all along. My impression was always that Kirk and Spock were both assigned to the Enterprise, and that they became friends while serving together in that capacity--a notion that this novel doesn't support.
Finally, the manner in which Kirk and Spock (and their small team) manage to solve the puzzle and save the day is a bit too contrived in the details for my taste. Not to give it away, but certain things happen in those closing chapters that would have been impossible for Kirk to never talk about.
I will say that the authors (or their editorial team) did a great job researching various canon and non-canon ideas. There were lots of touches not only from established classic canon, but also from Enterprise-series canon and non-canon sources as well.
Despite my misgivings, this was an enjoyable book, and well worth the read if you're a fan of the Kirk. If you have trouble looking past some of the liberties that authors take with gaps in the canon, you might want to avoid this 'til you get over yourself a bit. If you're new to (classic) Trek, this might be an interesting introduction to the two major characters, and to the universe as a whole.
As usual, Mr. Shatner is assisted by a couple of well-known (in Trek circles, anyway) co-writers, the Reeves-Stevenses, and it is unknown just what the extent of their involvement is. I was something of a fan of Shatner's "TekWar" series of novels, and though they were, I'm fairly certain, ghost-written, they were understood to be largely Mr. Shatner's work. My feeling is that he is the "idea man," and that he and his co-writers work together to build the plot and storyline, while they do most of the heavy-lifting. Ultimately, it's not really all that important, as this is still a Star Trek novel, whether it's written by William Shatner or Joe Bob Davis. What Shatner does bring to this novel, presumably, is a unique perspective into the mind and motivations of the main protagonist--James T. Kirk, rebellious youth.
Overall, this is a nice little book. There's some good character interaction, a bit of peril that's not too over-the-top, and a somewhat interesting main plot that ties into a part of Kirk's past and allows for a large helping of surprisingly good exploration of that part.
I particularly enjoyed some of the interactions between Spock and his parents. I felt like they captured these characters possibly the best out of all of them. We see Spock struggling with his human side, Sarek living in denial, and Amanda trying to be understanding to both and hold the family together. It's a good dynamic and well realized. The same cannot be said for the Kirk family characterization.
But where this book falters, for me, is in those parts that become a bit uncertain when held up to the light of canon Trek. Not that anything in the book (so far as I noticed, anyway) directly conflicts with anything that was explicitly covered by the original series episodes. The trouble is more in that, had these events happened, they most certainly would have been discussed in any of several of the original episodes where they might have been relevant.
That Kirk and Spock might have been friends before the vulcan served with Captain Pike on the Enterprise was never explicitly denied, but you would think that Kirk would have been more familiar with Spock's history with that captain, had they been friends all along. My impression was always that Kirk and Spock were both assigned to the Enterprise, and that they became friends while serving together in that capacity--a notion that this novel doesn't support.
Finally, the manner in which Kirk and Spock (and their small team) manage to solve the puzzle and save the day is a bit too contrived in the details for my taste. Not to give it away, but certain things happen in those closing chapters that would have been impossible for Kirk to never talk about.
I will say that the authors (or their editorial team) did a great job researching various canon and non-canon ideas. There were lots of touches not only from established classic canon, but also from Enterprise-series canon and non-canon sources as well.
Despite my misgivings, this was an enjoyable book, and well worth the read if you're a fan of the Kirk. If you have trouble looking past some of the liberties that authors take with gaps in the canon, you might want to avoid this 'til you get over yourself a bit. If you're new to (classic) Trek, this might be an interesting introduction to the two major characters, and to the universe as a whole.
June 25, 2014
This was an extremely well-written book, a very enjoyable read with good characterizations, pacing, and plot. And there are definitely some good connection points between it and the established Star Trek background story. But much of the storyline simply doesn't seem to work in terms of the established character histories, so it's best to pretend that it is a story from some alternate timeline, like the new movie series separate from the original series but separate from that as well, rather than trying to accept it as canonical. If one does that, it's great fun and a wild ride, but if one tries to fit it into the strictly original, canonical timeline, it falls flat on several counts.
For one thing, the personality of young Jimmy Kirk, while not completely out of character, seems more like the Jim Kirk in the new movie series than the impression that we've always had of the background for the character from the original series; granted, attempts are made to explain away that wildness and lack of respect for authority as traumatic remnants of his experiences on Tarsus IV under governor Kodos. And such a reation to such a traumatic set of events would certainly not be unreasonable, but in no discussion of Kirk's past at any point in the series do we ever hear any hint that such was actually ever the personality of young Jimmy Kirk. Further, if he HAD been like that, and Spock had known him then, it seems hard to imagine that it would never have come up in conversation during the series. Nor does it seem plausible that Spock is only two years older than Kirk; I've seen other places (including the new movie series) where it is claimed that they are that close to contemporaries, but I find it extremely implausible. Given the greater lifespan of Vulcans, it seems likely that Spock is older than that, and unlikely that he and Kirk would have been at the academy together. Further, it seems implausible that if Kirk WAS that severely traumatized by his experiences on Tarsus IV, to the extent that he became such a rebel-without-a-cause smartass wiseguy and hater of all things Starfleet, and spent three years being that person, that he could have turned himself around/been turned around so totally and so quickly as to leave no trace of it on his academy record, and any trace of that sort of attitude would have left him a significantly less respected member of Starfleet, to the point where he would have become the youngest ever promoted to captain in the history of the fleet. Bureaucracies (even apparently non-hidebound bureaucracies, like Starfleet is supposed to be) do not rapidly promote smartasses who hate authority, no matter how talented they are.
Yes, if this was the character's background, it would explain his willingness to flout the rules on many occasions in the series. And while he certainly has a tendency to be more concerned with what's right than the regulations, I don't see him as being THIS much of a rebel at seventeen.
Still, the explanation of the origin of the dispute between Spock and his father that we saw in "Journey to Babel" worked for me, at least mostly. But it did seem to me that his early experiences with Kirk in this book, if they had actually happened, would have left Spock much less stiff than we saw him in the early episodes in the series; his integration of his human and vulcan sides would have been more advanced than we saw if it had started as early as this.
So all in all, as a story that I don't try to fit in to the established Star Trek history, either in the original series of the new movies, this book is worth five stars. But I would only give it three if I wasn't willing to grant it the "alternate timeline" excuse.
For one thing, the personality of young Jimmy Kirk, while not completely out of character, seems more like the Jim Kirk in the new movie series than the impression that we've always had of the background for the character from the original series; granted, attempts are made to explain away that wildness and lack of respect for authority as traumatic remnants of his experiences on Tarsus IV under governor Kodos. And such a reation to such a traumatic set of events would certainly not be unreasonable, but in no discussion of Kirk's past at any point in the series do we ever hear any hint that such was actually ever the personality of young Jimmy Kirk. Further, if he HAD been like that, and Spock had known him then, it seems hard to imagine that it would never have come up in conversation during the series. Nor does it seem plausible that Spock is only two years older than Kirk; I've seen other places (including the new movie series) where it is claimed that they are that close to contemporaries, but I find it extremely implausible. Given the greater lifespan of Vulcans, it seems likely that Spock is older than that, and unlikely that he and Kirk would have been at the academy together. Further, it seems implausible that if Kirk WAS that severely traumatized by his experiences on Tarsus IV, to the extent that he became such a rebel-without-a-cause smartass wiseguy and hater of all things Starfleet, and spent three years being that person, that he could have turned himself around/been turned around so totally and so quickly as to leave no trace of it on his academy record, and any trace of that sort of attitude would have left him a significantly less respected member of Starfleet, to the point where he would have become the youngest ever promoted to captain in the history of the fleet. Bureaucracies (even apparently non-hidebound bureaucracies, like Starfleet is supposed to be) do not rapidly promote smartasses who hate authority, no matter how talented they are.
Yes, if this was the character's background, it would explain his willingness to flout the rules on many occasions in the series. And while he certainly has a tendency to be more concerned with what's right than the regulations, I don't see him as being THIS much of a rebel at seventeen.
Still, the explanation of the origin of the dispute between Spock and his father that we saw in "Journey to Babel" worked for me, at least mostly. But it did seem to me that his early experiences with Kirk in this book, if they had actually happened, would have left Spock much less stiff than we saw him in the early episodes in the series; his integration of his human and vulcan sides would have been more advanced than we saw if it had started as early as this.
So all in all, as a story that I don't try to fit in to the established Star Trek history, either in the original series of the new movies, this book is worth five stars. But I would only give it three if I wasn't willing to grant it the "alternate timeline" excuse.
March 5, 2015
Yeah, it was fun reading and we'll written, but like a lot of "young character" stories it tries too hard to sell the "what if". What if Spock and Kirk had met before they went to Starlet Accadamy? How would it come about? Who were they then? What were they like?
A little too much string pulling for me during the events taking place in the plot development. I enjoyed it, but I cannot say I would read it over and over to get my Star Trek "fix" like I do with other stories.
A little too much string pulling for me during the events taking place in the plot development. I enjoyed it, but I cannot say I would read it over and over to get my Star Trek "fix" like I do with other stories.
August 30, 2018
I really loved this book. I was heartbroken when I found out the sequel isn't coming out any time soon if ever T_T. Kirk and Spock's personalities were pretty much what I would imagine them to be as teenagers, and the fact that Shatner touched on the events of Tarsus IV? Ugh, be still my heart. I'm a slut for good writing and well written characters. Something that would've just been the cherry on top is if Leonard McCoy, my dear, my darling, my sun and moon, featured in this book, but alas, twas not meant to be...yet.
The dynamic between Spock and his family is both sweet yet heartbreaking. It's clear he dearly loves his mother and father, but being the child of two worlds has never been easy, and with the impending scandal with his father, growing up, and getting mixed up with whatever fuckery Jim Kirk managed to get himself into, it's safe to say I wouldn't be surprised if he got gray hairs by the time the book was over.
Speaking of Jim Kirk and the never ending shit show that is his life, I found the romance aspect with him and Elissa pretty...what's the word...boring, and for the large part, unnecessary. I suppose the real reason she was even in the book was to 1) Give the main character a love interest cause duh and 2) set up the events that would spiral our dear characters in a scandalous rabbit hole filled with death, dictators, hard labor, spies, and dead children.
It was pretty obvious that by the end of the book it was 100% meant to be continued in the sequel, but unfortunately due to some problems with Shatner's publishers it doesn't look like our beloved dynamic duo will continue:'( but you know what, even if we don't get a sequel I'm just glad we got this book at all.
The dynamic between Spock and his family is both sweet yet heartbreaking. It's clear he dearly loves his mother and father, but being the child of two worlds has never been easy, and with the impending scandal with his father, growing up, and getting mixed up with whatever fuckery Jim Kirk managed to get himself into, it's safe to say I wouldn't be surprised if he got gray hairs by the time the book was over.
Speaking of Jim Kirk and the never ending shit show that is his life, I found the romance aspect with him and Elissa pretty...what's the word...boring, and for the large part, unnecessary. I suppose the real reason she was even in the book was to 1) Give the main character a love interest cause duh and 2) set up the events that would spiral our dear characters in a scandalous rabbit hole filled with death, dictators, hard labor, spies, and dead children.
It was pretty obvious that by the end of the book it was 100% meant to be continued in the sequel, but unfortunately due to some problems with Shatner's publishers it doesn't look like our beloved dynamic duo will continue:'( but you know what, even if we don't get a sequel I'm just glad we got this book at all.
August 21, 2014
Ok, I have to admit that this book wasn't bad (which should have been expected, I mean c'mon the author is William Shatner for crying out loud). The story was entertaining, the characters were a lot of fun, and it made me excited to read the next one.
Without giving too much away, I will say that the plot is surprisingly complex for a book based off the Star Trek series. If you're a fan of Star Trek then you know the typical formula that was commonly used in the show. You know, something terrible happens that endangers Starfleet and the USS Enterprise is the only ship in the area that can help them.
Here? Nope. That doesn't apply here because first, Kirk and Spock are young teenagers who are not currently in Starfleet Academy and second, the plot deals with politics, dangerous criminals, and boys with daddy issues.
The books deals with Kirk and Spock getting stuck in the middle of several crimes that are all tied together while Starfleet is trying to locate a former dictator who they think is behind all these underground crimes.
Since William Shatner played Kirk, it's pretty obvious that he knows the characters pretty well. Kirk is pretty awesome and is the Kirk we all know and love. He's confident, bold, flirtatious, and has a laid back attitude. Spock is also as lovable as ever. He tries to contain his human emotions and his logical thinking from his Vulcan heritage is pretty astounding.
The other characters are also a lot of fun. You got Sam Kirk who gets involved with the wrong people but also tries to protect Jim. Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, are just wonderful. Their dialogue is very sweet and simple (it also makes me wonder if that's how a typical Vulcan couple communicate with each other about their child, except Amanda's human behavior) and their chemistry is just wonderful without it being intimate. Which makes it a thousand better than YA couples that have so much intimacy.
Sam and Jim's father is your typical stern father who wants some things for his sons that they don't want. He's not very open and does give his sons a lecture even though he really cares about them. Heck, that's why he does it.
Eugene Mallory is awesome. I just love this guy's attitude and the way he talks to Kirk. He's so calm and he is even sometimes amused by Kirk's actions. However, that does not mean that he is a pushover. He can be a hard ass when he needs to be. I like him.
Elissa, Zee, and the other characters? They were okay but they didn't stand out to me too much. They weren't bad. They were pretty likable and had their own unique characters so they were okay.
The only problem I had is the ending where I don't know. I felt like it was too easy. Their actions didn't have much consequences (except their punishments when they landed but I won't go there) and it ended on a slightly sad way. It wasn't too bad. I liked it.
The book took me on a Star Trek adventure and I enjoyed it. Despite the cheesy ending.
Without giving too much away, I will say that the plot is surprisingly complex for a book based off the Star Trek series. If you're a fan of Star Trek then you know the typical formula that was commonly used in the show. You know, something terrible happens that endangers Starfleet and the USS Enterprise is the only ship in the area that can help them.
Here? Nope. That doesn't apply here because first, Kirk and Spock are young teenagers who are not currently in Starfleet Academy and second, the plot deals with politics, dangerous criminals, and boys with daddy issues.
The books deals with Kirk and Spock getting stuck in the middle of several crimes that are all tied together while Starfleet is trying to locate a former dictator who they think is behind all these underground crimes.
Since William Shatner played Kirk, it's pretty obvious that he knows the characters pretty well. Kirk is pretty awesome and is the Kirk we all know and love. He's confident, bold, flirtatious, and has a laid back attitude. Spock is also as lovable as ever. He tries to contain his human emotions and his logical thinking from his Vulcan heritage is pretty astounding.
The other characters are also a lot of fun. You got Sam Kirk who gets involved with the wrong people but also tries to protect Jim. Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, are just wonderful. Their dialogue is very sweet and simple (it also makes me wonder if that's how a typical Vulcan couple communicate with each other about their child, except Amanda's human behavior) and their chemistry is just wonderful without it being intimate. Which makes it a thousand better than YA couples that have so much intimacy.
Sam and Jim's father is your typical stern father who wants some things for his sons that they don't want. He's not very open and does give his sons a lecture even though he really cares about them. Heck, that's why he does it.
Eugene Mallory is awesome. I just love this guy's attitude and the way he talks to Kirk. He's so calm and he is even sometimes amused by Kirk's actions. However, that does not mean that he is a pushover. He can be a hard ass when he needs to be. I like him.
Elissa, Zee, and the other characters? They were okay but they didn't stand out to me too much. They weren't bad. They were pretty likable and had their own unique characters so they were okay.
The only problem I had is the ending where I don't know. I felt like it was too easy. Their actions didn't have much consequences (except their punishments when they landed but I won't go there) and it ended on a slightly sad way. It wasn't too bad. I liked it.
The book took me on a Star Trek adventure and I enjoyed it. Despite the cheesy ending.
November 14, 2015
I was looking forward to reading about Kirk and Spock's Academy days. I thought this was very well written. There was some mystery and intrigue and plenty of puzzle pieces of how Kirk and Spock get together and form an initial friendship that would be the foundation for a Proficient Captain and the Best First Officer in the fleet.
My only complain is that we, apparently, won't be seeing any more from this series. I heard that William Shatner had a falling out with Pocket. This book was copyrighted in 2007.
It is sad. I was hoping there would be more.
My only complain is that we, apparently, won't be seeing any more from this series. I heard that William Shatner had a falling out with Pocket. This book was copyrighted in 2007.
It is sad. I was hoping there would be more.
May 18, 2013
I usually enjoy books by the team of Reeves-Stevens, but this one didn't do it for me. I found it rather ludicrous that Kirk and Spock knew each other before the Enterprise. That's straight up fanboy shite. And the book itself just wasn't that interesting. Kirk is arrested for stealing a car, manages to implicate Spock... and then... I kept waiting for something more to happen. But it was an extremely slow, plodding read. Hardly much excitement at all.
January 25, 2016
This Star Trek novel goes back to the beginning to where Kirk and Spock meet, at first is a bar and then in a jail cell!!! Both get tangeled up in different sides of an intergalatic theft ring, their eventual involvement and forced emrollment in Star Fleet Acadamy and their first encounter and theft of the Starship Enterprise. If you are a fan of The Original Star Trek series this is a very enjoyable read.
March 4, 2013
I expected a sequel only to be truly crushed that it will not happen anytime soon
October 5, 2018
Collision Course was certainly an interesting novel, and it was fun to read about young Kirk and Spock's initial entry into Starfleet Academy and the choices that led them there. It's unfortunate that similar plots were explored in Star Trek 2009; if they hadn't, it's possible that we would have had the originally-planned follow-up novels. The back of this novel says the sequel, Trial Run, would be coming soon, but alas, that was not to be. Perhaps, however, this is a good thing; the ending of Collision Course features Kirk and Spock parting ways and entering the academy on separate tracks. I like the idea of them going off and then meeting up years later on the Enterprise; if the series had continued, it's likely they would have had to contrive some reason to have them continually meet up and get into misadventures. Maybe it's better that the series ended now, before a later volume completely jumped the shark.
Full review: http://www.treklit.com/2018/10/CC.html
Full review: http://www.treklit.com/2018/10/CC.html
May 9, 2020
Big fan of how Jim's authority issues are explained and how throughout the novel Spock learns to accept his human side. I loved the characterization, loved the sass, and I loved another look at the Tarsus IV massacre. I just wish the rest of the series would be written eventually.
December 13, 2023
Obsessed with the thought of Bill Shatner sitting down to write out his silly little Kirk and Spock fanfic. Fun time
August 29, 2017
For those who don't know, when Kirk was a wee boy, he was sent to Tarsus IV, a farming planet, to help his aunt and uncle. While he was there, a fungus destroyed 98% of the crops, and the colony, now facing mass starvation, decided to perform a series of eugenics to decide who would live and eat, and who would die. Kirk, only fourteen years old, had to watch his friends and family die, and nearly lost his own life in the process trying to save as many children as he could.
This is canon. This was in the episode "The Conscience of the King" in which Kirk came face to face with the man who made the decision to commit genocide against the defenseless, starving colony. I freakin' loved this episode. Not only it combines my love for Hamlet, I think this was a GREAT addition to Kirk's character. When it comes to tragic backstories, usually the parents end up getting murdered or die in some ironic way. It gets boring after the millionth time. Facing an entire famine AND a holocaust is not only a million times more realistic, it's unique and it shows exactly why Kirk has this very protectiveness over his crew. I was always upset they never expanded on it after this episode. (As they did with a lot of story lines...)
When I realized Tarsus IV was going to play a big role in the book made me giddy. There are several flashbacks of when Kirk was going through the famine and it was GREAT. (Are there any Star Trek books that focus primarily on Tarsus IV? If so, please tell me)
The majority of the book follows Kirk, who is trying to help his girlfriend after she's accused of using her security codes for misdeeds. Eventually hijinks occur and Kirk meets with Spock, who is on his own quest of lies and misdeeds. From there, the two must team up and find out the dastardly bastards who are doing bastardly dastardly things.
I'm not the type of person who gets up in arms over whether or not Kirk meeting Spock at Starfleet academy is canon or not. We are talking about a 40 year old show here. A LOT of shit have been written since. I treated this like a fanfiction and for what I got, I was fine with it.
I was really glad the writers were switched out early on. The first couple of chapters were filled with mediocre purple prose, and I would have not lasted the whole book had that continued.
Unfortunately by the time we got to the climax, that's when a lot of stuff took a nosedive for me. It seemed a lot of important plot points, character arcs and pacing went out the window. Kirk stealing the Enterprise in order to chase down space thugs, whom the majority were killed within seconds, ruined my suspense of disbelief. I never felt like Spock and Kirk got their *hurrah!* moment.
Speaking of which, Kirk and Spock's relationship should've been the key point of this book. Their friendship is epic, and their interactions should had me vibrating in glee. But I was kinda like... okay?
More focus was put on Kirk and his brother Sam, and on his girlfriend.
Sam's arc is interesting. In one scene with his father, Sam admits had he been on Tarsus IV, he totally would have killed to survive, and the fact he can't be as heroic and brave as Kirk haunts him. That's GREAT character awareness. Being brave is not easy, and you never know how you'll react in an emergency.
The only scene that made me roll my eyes was when the female villain was defeated by the power of boners. Right.
Overall, while the book went on a little too long on the mystery, I still really enjoyed it. Shame there are no others to follow.
This is canon. This was in the episode "The Conscience of the King" in which Kirk came face to face with the man who made the decision to commit genocide against the defenseless, starving colony. I freakin' loved this episode. Not only it combines my love for Hamlet, I think this was a GREAT addition to Kirk's character. When it comes to tragic backstories, usually the parents end up getting murdered or die in some ironic way. It gets boring after the millionth time. Facing an entire famine AND a holocaust is not only a million times more realistic, it's unique and it shows exactly why Kirk has this very protectiveness over his crew. I was always upset they never expanded on it after this episode. (As they did with a lot of story lines...)
When I realized Tarsus IV was going to play a big role in the book made me giddy. There are several flashbacks of when Kirk was going through the famine and it was GREAT. (Are there any Star Trek books that focus primarily on Tarsus IV? If so, please tell me)
The majority of the book follows Kirk, who is trying to help his girlfriend after she's accused of using her security codes for misdeeds. Eventually hijinks occur and Kirk meets with Spock, who is on his own quest of lies and misdeeds. From there, the two must team up and find out the dastardly bastards who are doing bastardly dastardly things.
I'm not the type of person who gets up in arms over whether or not Kirk meeting Spock at Starfleet academy is canon or not. We are talking about a 40 year old show here. A LOT of shit have been written since. I treated this like a fanfiction and for what I got, I was fine with it.
I was really glad the writers were switched out early on. The first couple of chapters were filled with mediocre purple prose, and I would have not lasted the whole book had that continued.
Unfortunately by the time we got to the climax, that's when a lot of stuff took a nosedive for me. It seemed a lot of important plot points, character arcs and pacing went out the window. Kirk stealing the Enterprise in order to chase down space thugs, whom the majority were killed within seconds, ruined my suspense of disbelief. I never felt like Spock and Kirk got their *hurrah!* moment.
Speaking of which, Kirk and Spock's relationship should've been the key point of this book. Their friendship is epic, and their interactions should had me vibrating in glee. But I was kinda like... okay?
More focus was put on Kirk and his brother Sam, and on his girlfriend.
Sam's arc is interesting. In one scene with his father, Sam admits had he been on Tarsus IV, he totally would have killed to survive, and the fact he can't be as heroic and brave as Kirk haunts him. That's GREAT character awareness. Being brave is not easy, and you never know how you'll react in an emergency.
The only scene that made me roll my eyes was when the female villain was defeated by the power of boners. Right.
Overall, while the book went on a little too long on the mystery, I still really enjoyed it. Shame there are no others to follow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2012
Found this book in unread condition in a second hand box. Best 50p I have spent in a long while.
I really wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised.
So long as you can accept the concept that Spock and Kirk met as teens this is a fun book, which entertains and informs, and stays within the star trek universe without getting bogged down in star trek lore.
I felt the story did a great job of capturing the essence of the relationship between the two main characters and I appreciated the clear structure. I always knew where I was in the story and what was happening.
I particularly appreciated the humour in this book, and really did laugh out loud at times. This contrasted well with the dramatic scenes, and the balance felt similar in feel to the original star trek series, where much of the entertainment derived from the characters.
I really wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised.
So long as you can accept the concept that Spock and Kirk met as teens this is a fun book, which entertains and informs, and stays within the star trek universe without getting bogged down in star trek lore.
I felt the story did a great job of capturing the essence of the relationship between the two main characters and I appreciated the clear structure. I always knew where I was in the story and what was happening.
I particularly appreciated the humour in this book, and really did laugh out loud at times. This contrasted well with the dramatic scenes, and the balance felt similar in feel to the original star trek series, where much of the entertainment derived from the characters.
July 9, 2014
It was Star Trek, and I enjoyed it. However, I did have some issues with it, particularly regarding the timeline. The original timeline was established by the original series, and the new movies established a new timeline. This one seems to fall into neither of those. It's closer to the original timeline but there are still oddities. I also thought this moved a little slower than most of the Trek book Shatner is associated with, but it did hold my interest and got pretty exciting at the end. The end was very implausible to me but it was still fun.
One a positive note, we did get to find out more about how Kirk came in contact with Kodos, the governor of Tarsus IV, who became known as the Executioner. This is based on an episode of the original series--the Conscience of the King. This was good.
One a positive note, we did get to find out more about how Kirk came in contact with Kodos, the governor of Tarsus IV, who became known as the Executioner. This is based on an episode of the original series--the Conscience of the King. This was good.
October 30, 2016
Not gunna lie. I didn't have high hopes and was impressed. I read and sometimes write fanfiction and "what if's". This was nice fresh introduction into the characters. It wasn't 10/10 but definitely a 8.5/10 in terms of plot. This was my first foray into the written Star Trek works and a series that will hold a special place for being my first.
May 16, 2017
There are several places in which the interpretations of these beloved characters are grating on the nerves, because they are so out of character. That being said, there is so much of this book that feels like the movie reboot that it's also a pleasure to read.
July 30, 2018
A fantastic look through the early days of James T Kirk told by the very man who embodied the character. A thrilling read and great characters make this one of Shatners finest works.
September 25, 2022
Two teenagers meet when they follow separate mysteries that lead to Starfleet Academy in San Francisco. Jim Kirk is a rebellious young man with a troubled past he's trying to overcome, and Spock is a Vulcan trying to find his place. But when these two come together, they just may be more than either one is alone.
This book isn't really considered "Star Trek Canon" in any way, but more of William Shatner's personal backstory on these iconic characters and the universe around them. Once again, Shatner is aided by Star Trek veterans Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, who have assisted him in all of his previous Trek novels. They bring a credibility and experience that helps shape and define the story beyond Shatner's original ideas.
I didn't love the idea that Jim Kirk was some sort of technical genius in engineering and capable of whipping up high tech gadgets in his garage, so this book started off on the wrong foot with me. I decided to roll with it and put that aside, but it kept coming back even after other facets of Kirk's personality were more worth focusing on. While Kirk has a girlfriend in the book (whom he is actively trying to get out of hot water with Starfleet) he still has time to flirt and even pull something of a Mrs. Robinson moment late in the book.
The most compelling thing about Kirk in this book is his constant animosity towards Starfleet - in fact, you almost feel like there's no way he'll ever want to join up. But connecting his feelings to the classic Trek episode The Conscience of the King was clever and really brought things together. Kirk's issues resulting from that backstory provided an interesting plot complication for him to overcome throughout the novel.
I felt Spock actually faired better than Kirk in this book. He felt much more in character with dialogue and actions. And while it presents another version of how he enlisted in Starfleet, it still showed his intelligence, desire to explore his human side, and a small degree of rebelliousness that is always nice to see in a young Spock. His investigations of thefts at the Vulcan consulate made sense to me as it was all part of his boredom and desire to grow beyond the expectations of his father. Nicely done and presented throughout the book.
While the main "bad guys" are from Kirk's past on Tarsus IV for the most part, their overall plot didn't really make sense to me. It was fairly convoluted and didn't really have a big purpose making this all seem like a really long novel for younger readers. I understand that it's hard to come up with something believable and workable for teenage characters, but I found myself losing interest several times throughout the book. I'd put it down for a little while and come back to it when I was in the right mind frame. Honestly, the first three quarters of the book were a bit of a slog, but the final hundred pages were fun - if a little over the top. Again, it all felt like a young readers book.
For deep fans, there are several references to Enterprise throughout the book, and a few obscure characters who will appear later in Star Trek canon, but not too many Easter Eggs or amazing cameos here. I did find it interesting that we see the starship Enterprise at a point between her first five-year mission under Robert April, and her second with Christopher Pike. Its kind of an interesting little niche that kind of explains some differences between the original pilot and the ultimate Star Trek original series.
Overall, this isn't a home run of a novel, but it's a solid single that most fans will find something to like while reading.
This book isn't really considered "Star Trek Canon" in any way, but more of William Shatner's personal backstory on these iconic characters and the universe around them. Once again, Shatner is aided by Star Trek veterans Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, who have assisted him in all of his previous Trek novels. They bring a credibility and experience that helps shape and define the story beyond Shatner's original ideas.
I didn't love the idea that Jim Kirk was some sort of technical genius in engineering and capable of whipping up high tech gadgets in his garage, so this book started off on the wrong foot with me. I decided to roll with it and put that aside, but it kept coming back even after other facets of Kirk's personality were more worth focusing on. While Kirk has a girlfriend in the book (whom he is actively trying to get out of hot water with Starfleet) he still has time to flirt and even pull something of a Mrs. Robinson moment late in the book.
The most compelling thing about Kirk in this book is his constant animosity towards Starfleet - in fact, you almost feel like there's no way he'll ever want to join up. But connecting his feelings to the classic Trek episode The Conscience of the King was clever and really brought things together. Kirk's issues resulting from that backstory provided an interesting plot complication for him to overcome throughout the novel.
I felt Spock actually faired better than Kirk in this book. He felt much more in character with dialogue and actions. And while it presents another version of how he enlisted in Starfleet, it still showed his intelligence, desire to explore his human side, and a small degree of rebelliousness that is always nice to see in a young Spock. His investigations of thefts at the Vulcan consulate made sense to me as it was all part of his boredom and desire to grow beyond the expectations of his father. Nicely done and presented throughout the book.
While the main "bad guys" are from Kirk's past on Tarsus IV for the most part, their overall plot didn't really make sense to me. It was fairly convoluted and didn't really have a big purpose making this all seem like a really long novel for younger readers. I understand that it's hard to come up with something believable and workable for teenage characters, but I found myself losing interest several times throughout the book. I'd put it down for a little while and come back to it when I was in the right mind frame. Honestly, the first three quarters of the book were a bit of a slog, but the final hundred pages were fun - if a little over the top. Again, it all felt like a young readers book.
For deep fans, there are several references to Enterprise throughout the book, and a few obscure characters who will appear later in Star Trek canon, but not too many Easter Eggs or amazing cameos here. I did find it interesting that we see the starship Enterprise at a point between her first five-year mission under Robert April, and her second with Christopher Pike. Its kind of an interesting little niche that kind of explains some differences between the original pilot and the ultimate Star Trek original series.
Overall, this isn't a home run of a novel, but it's a solid single that most fans will find something to like while reading.
December 8, 2017
Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is a roller-coaster ride of action and adventure from start to finish which also serves to introduce us to the Kirk and Spock as teenagers and to see how their careers came about! :D
The book is filled with jokes and ironic situations throughout in what is a complex plot that stretches out all over the place! :D Through a cleverly convoluted storyline Kirk, Spock and Starfleet all find themselves approaching the same problem but from different angles that leads to Kirk and Spock first meeting up - 'Spock' , 'Jim Kirk' sums up the meeting in a brig to them running into Mallory of Starfleet Intelligence which leads to some clever tricks from Spock and Kirk who take a while to catch on to the fact that they are being tested! :D This leads onto great action scenes as Kirk and Spock attempt to investigate the great conspiracy that extends back to Tarsus IV and Genvernor Garth! :D The humour again though is in abundance as when for example Morrow lets them 'steal' the Enterprise and you will find your ribs breaking throughout which gives the book a great feel that reminds you of Guardians of the Galaxy! :D Lol
Throughout Star Trek: The Academy - Collision Course there is character development in abundance we get to see more of Kirk's family in the form of his brother Sam who relies on his brother and his Dad George who only wants what he reckons is best for them! :D We also get to see Spock and his relationship with his parents and where he starts to have his blip with his Dad Sarek! :D This provides another dynamic to character development and the story and provides insights aplenty! :D People often have differing views to their parent and this is shown throughout providing much to the characters and story! :D
Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is insightful into both characters, as they each start taking on each others ideas ('Indeed! :D Lol) an also does world building as we are shown a close up of Starfleet Academy which like a modern campus is named after famous people from the past and this helps to give the book great depth and gives the world a lived in feel! :D
Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is edge of the seat stuff and you will find yourself staying up late to find out what happens as Kirk and Spock and whoever they manage to shanghai into helping them run from one crazy situation to the next! :D Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is hilarious, a roller-coaster ride, fun and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
The book is filled with jokes and ironic situations throughout in what is a complex plot that stretches out all over the place! :D Through a cleverly convoluted storyline Kirk, Spock and Starfleet all find themselves approaching the same problem but from different angles that leads to Kirk and Spock first meeting up - 'Spock' , 'Jim Kirk' sums up the meeting in a brig to them running into Mallory of Starfleet Intelligence which leads to some clever tricks from Spock and Kirk who take a while to catch on to the fact that they are being tested! :D This leads onto great action scenes as Kirk and Spock attempt to investigate the great conspiracy that extends back to Tarsus IV and Genvernor Garth! :D The humour again though is in abundance as when for example Morrow lets them 'steal' the Enterprise and you will find your ribs breaking throughout which gives the book a great feel that reminds you of Guardians of the Galaxy! :D Lol
Throughout Star Trek: The Academy - Collision Course there is character development in abundance we get to see more of Kirk's family in the form of his brother Sam who relies on his brother and his Dad George who only wants what he reckons is best for them! :D We also get to see Spock and his relationship with his parents and where he starts to have his blip with his Dad Sarek! :D This provides another dynamic to character development and the story and provides insights aplenty! :D People often have differing views to their parent and this is shown throughout providing much to the characters and story! :D
Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is insightful into both characters, as they each start taking on each others ideas ('Indeed! :D Lol) an also does world building as we are shown a close up of Starfleet Academy which like a modern campus is named after famous people from the past and this helps to give the book great depth and gives the world a lived in feel! :D
Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is edge of the seat stuff and you will find yourself staying up late to find out what happens as Kirk and Spock and whoever they manage to shanghai into helping them run from one crazy situation to the next! :D Star Trek: The Academy--Collision Course is hilarious, a roller-coaster ride, fun and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2023
"For three years, Kirk had tried to forget the nightmare world he had seen and been part of. And that's what had trapped him in his past. But if he remembered the pattern of what had gone so horribly wrong, he would not repeat it-he could break it. That knowledge freed him like nothing he had ever experienced before."
I'm barely venturing into the foray of Star Trek books and this was such a spectacular start! I've just finished watching The Original Series and, like many others, finding out that there was a book that featured the infamous Tarsus IV tragedy, I just had to get my hands on it. And my gosh, what a story this was.
The story follows Jim Kirk and Spock in their younger years in a "what if they had met before" scenario that I really enjoyed seeing, with the two of them meddling with conspiracies within Starfleet and the Vulcan Embassy that lead to them running (quite unceremoniously) into each other and falling deeper into the mystery that threatens their worlds.
I really appreciated how Tarsus IV fed into Jim's distrust of Starfleet and his psyche overall - the caginess around being vulnerable with anyone, including his brother, the mask of cocksure control - and yet the moments of innocent joy and passion were able to shine through, showing us the Kirk we've come to know. Spock's relationship with his family also hit home, and the ending confrontation between him and his father really emphasized the 18 year estrangement that we see later on in the show. But the friendship built between Jim and Spock - the beginnings of it - felt quite 'on par,' as one would expect from the amount of trouble that is drawn towards them. Their banter to gradual unspoken understanding stood out to me (and I won't deny smiling all the more for it).
I'm not much of a stickler for canon (especially regarding a show heading towards 60 years and knowing that books are considered beta canon) and despite what could be considered discrepancies in the timeline, I had a blast reading this book and am so glad I was able to get my own copy. I felt that the ending really did hold true to the message of Star Trek: we are all imperfect, working within imperfect structures and organizations, but we remember and put in the effort to make the world - and the universe - a better place. The hope is still there.
April 26, 2020
“For three years, Kirk had tried to forget the nightmare world he had seen and been part of. And that’s what had trapped him in his past. But if he remembered the pattern of what had gone so horribly wrong, he would not repeat it—he could break it.
That knowledge freed him like nothing he had ever experienced before. And in the midst of that release, he remembered something else that Mallory had told him. Something else important that he’d not understood. Until this moment.
“If we remember the patterns of history, we do not repeat them.”
Griffyn stared at him. “What do you mean by ‘we’?”
“Starfleet,” Kirk said.”
—
3.5 I am rounding down because Bill Shatner is NOT allowed to receive any more of my praise no matter how attached I was to this story. Anyway it was EXTREMELY fun! With surprisingly excellent characterization! (the fact that this was published two years before the first AOS movie yet the way Kirk acts is completely consistent w that is really validating to me, personally) Also just the last bit with Kirk and Spock and the Starfleet mids essentially stealing the Enterprise to track down Griffyn like this really was such a romp.
Also, Kirk has ADHD, Spock is autistic, they’re soulmates, these are things that are true in every universe but! This book surprisingly highlighted it! Not on purpose because Bill IS still out of touch and a disaster but I take what I get baby! Anyway. Just a very fun time!
(Should mention all of my thoughts on this ARE to be taken with a rather large grain of salt; I will never be objective when it comes to Star Trek, especially not Star Trek that zeroes in on ADHD Jim Kirk’s disdain for authority and also just the fact a LARGE portion of his characterization is due to Tarsus IV trauma it’s like. Yeah of course I’m being embarrassing about this and I am ALLOWED!)
That knowledge freed him like nothing he had ever experienced before. And in the midst of that release, he remembered something else that Mallory had told him. Something else important that he’d not understood. Until this moment.
“If we remember the patterns of history, we do not repeat them.”
Griffyn stared at him. “What do you mean by ‘we’?”
“Starfleet,” Kirk said.”
—
3.5 I am rounding down because Bill Shatner is NOT allowed to receive any more of my praise no matter how attached I was to this story. Anyway it was EXTREMELY fun! With surprisingly excellent characterization! (the fact that this was published two years before the first AOS movie yet the way Kirk acts is completely consistent w that is really validating to me, personally) Also just the last bit with Kirk and Spock and the Starfleet mids essentially stealing the Enterprise to track down Griffyn like this really was such a romp.
Also, Kirk has ADHD, Spock is autistic, they’re soulmates, these are things that are true in every universe but! This book surprisingly highlighted it! Not on purpose because Bill IS still out of touch and a disaster but I take what I get baby! Anyway. Just a very fun time!
(Should mention all of my thoughts on this ARE to be taken with a rather large grain of salt; I will never be objective when it comes to Star Trek, especially not Star Trek that zeroes in on ADHD Jim Kirk’s disdain for authority and also just the fact a LARGE portion of his characterization is due to Tarsus IV trauma it’s like. Yeah of course I’m being embarrassing about this and I am ALLOWED!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
I first read this book in 2009 when I was just getting into Star Trek, and it had a really huge impact on me, and is a major reason that The Conscience of the King and anything else related to Tarsus IV will always reduce me to tears. When I came back to it this year it was so good and overwhelming that I read it twice in a row. Therefore, this will be a pretty incoherent review, and spoilers abound!
April 28, 2020
It was surprisingly fun. Going from the cover I assumed this would start with Kirk entering the Academy, and when it became clear that this was the story of why he ends up at the academy, rather than him at the academy, part of me was disappointed. But I think the ultimate payoff was worth it.
I found myself comparing the story to the 2009 movie a lot. I'm a fan of the movie, but Kirk's decision to join Starfleet there is right at the start of the movie, it feels (to me) forced, like it's just there to get him there. It's not clear to me that a young man with that background would be talked into joining Starfleet so easily.
So to my mind, this book does a good job of explaining how James Kirk, a relatively rebellious and cocky teen, makes his fateful decision to serve, and starts his lifelong friendship with the beloved Spock.
It does have some flaws, parts of the story don't make a lot of sense, the "conflict" between Spock and his father was ridiculous, but altogether it was fun enough.
I found myself comparing the story to the 2009 movie a lot. I'm a fan of the movie, but Kirk's decision to join Starfleet there is right at the start of the movie, it feels (to me) forced, like it's just there to get him there. It's not clear to me that a young man with that background would be talked into joining Starfleet so easily.
So to my mind, this book does a good job of explaining how James Kirk, a relatively rebellious and cocky teen, makes his fateful decision to serve, and starts his lifelong friendship with the beloved Spock.
It does have some flaws, parts of the story don't make a lot of sense, the "conflict" between Spock and his father was ridiculous, but altogether it was fun enough.
October 15, 2017
To me this wasn't Trek.
Both Kirk and Spock were way out of character - Kirk mostly in a way that reminded of the reboot, behaving like a jerk.
Starfleet, though not really a military organization, looked like the worst army in the world, with methods that are frowned upon even now - and a no fraternization rule that is clearly non-canon as both Chekov and Kirk had romances with other cadets according to the Original Series.
And the plot was more a political thriller with dashes of espionage novel and crime, not really a SciFi.
But putting all that aside and ignoring that it has NOTHING to do with the Star Trek one loves, it's actually not a bad read. Never boring and nicely written. Just not Trek.
Both Kirk and Spock were way out of character - Kirk mostly in a way that reminded of the reboot, behaving like a jerk.
Starfleet, though not really a military organization, looked like the worst army in the world, with methods that are frowned upon even now - and a no fraternization rule that is clearly non-canon as both Chekov and Kirk had romances with other cadets according to the Original Series.
And the plot was more a political thriller with dashes of espionage novel and crime, not really a SciFi.
But putting all that aside and ignoring that it has NOTHING to do with the Star Trek one loves, it's actually not a bad read. Never boring and nicely written. Just not Trek.
January 13, 2020
Like every other book in this series with Shatner and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens I thought this was excellent. Really engaging and captures these iconic characters quite well. This was a great look at the younger days and Entry into starfleet of Kirk and Spock. The story was great I
And I liked the additional look into the events of kirks time on Taurus IV.
My only complaint is that this seems to slightly contradict one of their earlier mentions to this where they reference Kirk running from guards and running into surak and they mind melded to suppress some of the trauma. They did say he ran from the starfleet guard who attempted to rescue him so it could tie in. But it doesn’t seem to fully meld together. But I still loved this story and give it 5 stars.
And I liked the additional look into the events of kirks time on Taurus IV.
My only complaint is that this seems to slightly contradict one of their earlier mentions to this where they reference Kirk running from guards and running into surak and they mind melded to suppress some of the trauma. They did say he ran from the starfleet guard who attempted to rescue him so it could tie in. But it doesn’t seem to fully meld together. But I still loved this story and give it 5 stars.
May 27, 2020
Although it's been told in Enterprise The First Adventure, DC's 1985 Star Trek Annual 1 comic book and the 2009 film (and probably a few other places that escape me at the moment), this was a surprisingly fun account of a rebellious, angst ridden seventeen year old James T. Kirk still haunted by his experience on Tarsus 4 and his first encounter with Spock. I've read all the Shatnerverse books and in my opinion, they started strong and slowly went downhill by the ninth one. Shatner and his writing team picked it up for this one and although predictable in places, I enjoyed my time with Kirk and Spock once again.
February 24, 2024
This is my first Star Trek novel, and I had a lot of fun reading it. I especially liked that it showed us how his experience on Tarsus IV affected him, and how he carries that through his career later. I love how much thought Shatner put into this backstory, and I am such a fan of being able to point to a specific scene (the one where he meets Spock!) and go, "yes, this is where the title came from." Some of the characterization felt different from the show, but most of that can be explained by their ages and lack of experience, and overall it was a very convincing picture of a young James Kirk.
June 25, 2018
Found this book while I was in Kauai at the western most bookstore in the US (really). It was a fun read and an interesting take on how Spock and Kirk may have met in their youth. There is detailed references to Kirk's early years, family and home life (even a brother?). The reader also gets a look at Spock and the beginnings of his 'humanization' of character. This being a Shatnerverse book I could not tell you if the backgrounds fit with any of the implied history of the characters but was still totally enjoyable.
April 13, 2020
I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. It goes away from what we know about Kirk. Perhaps it was just me but I never got the idea that he was any kind of electronics genius. Being able to talk his way out of any situation ... definitely. I enjoyed that part of the book. For me the Tarsus IV background adds depth to this character. The let down of this book, if there is one, is that if Kirk and Spock had completely stayed out of the events of the book, they would have unfolded just the same. Steel a Starship? Ok no problem, go ahead, let's see what happens.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews