Customer Reviews

Faces of Fire (Star Trek, Book 58)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Again, this is not great but not bad, either. It tries to tell the story of how Kirk came to know that he had a son named David. There is also the introduction of the Klingon Captain Krug (played by Christopher Lloyd in ST:III). This novel did not, however, keep my attention as others had. I found myself 'spacing-out' at times, as the novel failed to really keep my attention.

Not great, but not bad; this story purports to tell the tale of the first meeting between Kirk and his son David Marcus, as well as to establish the reason for some of the hostility displayed toward Kirk by David in "The Wrath Of Khan". It establishes the character of David fairly well, but the justification for the hostility is weak at best, and the subplot involving the political machinations of the Klingons seems decidedly spurious, merely an excuse for the Klingons behaving in odd and implausible ways later.

A perfectly good adventure novel, which mostly fails at its attempts to a pretension to be more than that.

Captain James T. Kirk was known as a man who liked women. When he found Carol Marcus. he never knew that they would have a child. Well in Faces of Fire, that child, David, comes up. He is a brave boy, like his father. This story depicts the arrogance of the Klingons and the relationship between Spock and David. This book elegantly displays the similarities of Kirk and David. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes Spock, Kirk and David.

This story moves along slower than many of the others, as there is a great deal of effort expended in building the background of the characters of David and Carol Marcus. Both are part of a terraforming research group on Beta Canzandia Three and the Enterprise stops to perform a routine check on their scientific progress. This is also an opportunity for the Enterprise medical staff to conduct standard medical examinations of the people in the group.
The Enterprise is en route to Alpha Malurian Six to settle a dispute between the two dominant religions on the planet. They are transporting Federation Ambassador Farquhar to Alpha Malurian Six so that he may try to mediate the dispute. The Ambassador is full of self-importance and piqued at the brief layover at Beta Canzandia Three. Therefore, Spock is left with the terraformers while the Enterprise proceeds to Alpha Malurian Six.
Meanwhile, there is a growing schism in the Klingon Empire. The leadership is predominantly drawn from the Kamorh'dag in the northern hemisphere of the Klingon homeworld. Their leadership is now being challenged by the Gevish'rae, who live in the southern hemisphere. The political infighting leads to a Klingon ship being dispatched to Beta Canzandia Three, which is near the border between Federation and Klingon space. The purpose of the mission is to steal anything of scientific or military value that is on the planet.
While the glimpse into the workings of the Klingon Empire is interesting, the political infighting is too extreme. The Klingons are too busy assassinating each other to carry out their mission. Even though Spock is talented and the children on the terraforming colony, led by David Marcus, are very brave, the idea that they could defeat a Klingon force is simply ludicrous. An unarmed band of Star Fleet personnel could not stand up to the Klingons, much less a group of pre-teen children.
At the end of the story, Kirk learns that David Marcus is his son, but agrees to cooperate with Carol to keep it from David. In many ways, Carol is a strong, but selfish woman. She argues that David should not be told who his father is because he may go shooting around the galaxy, solving problems and breaking hearts. Given that James T. Kirk is one of the greatest heroes in the Federation and a child has a right to know their parents, this is very childish. In the end, Kirk accedes to her wishes, which is certainly out of character for him.
This is a good, but not great story in the Star Trek genre. The political infighting between the Klingons is too extreme and the idea that Spock could lead a group of children in successful resistance against a Klingon force is absurd.

Star Trek-The Original Series written by Michael Jan Friedman is a double plotted book where the main character get split and the adventures begin.

"Faces of Fire" has the Enterprise and her crew on a mission to Alpha Malurian Six to resolve a "religious" dispute, but while enroute to this mission They happen to pass a terraforming. Spock wants to monitor this and requests to be left behind on Beta Canzandia Three. This is the first book where we meet David Marcus, Captain James T. Kirk's son.

So, one plot involves a "religious" dispute and the other involves a terraforming. But the plot thinckens as they say, and boy does it ever. What good is a Star Trek book if we don't have the bad guys... this time as Klingons. The Klingons have heard of the terraforming and want to nose around and in the process they capture both Carol and David Marcus. Also, Spock is captured and now faced with certain death Spock and David plan, with the other colonists, an escape.

At the same time, the Enterprise crew with Kirk, McCoy, and Scotty are trying to find a solution to end the religious conflict. Here we have McCoy's famous word uttered... "Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a veterinarian." Or, whatever he's suppost to be other than a doctor depending upon the situation.

This book was a well-crafted story and entertaining as the plots moved along they kept your interest. I enjoyed this book with McCoy and Scotty trying to help Kirk... interesting, indeed.

Overall quality is just what I've come to expect from Simon & Schuster: very good. I do agree,however, that the reader here lacks variation and depth. It detracts seriously from the production for me. I found myself getting bored and sidetracked through no fault of the writing, but of the reader. The story itself seemed rather tame for Kirk and Co. Gone was the style and panash and great Errol Flynnish type of adventure. I missed that.