Customer Reviews

Home is the Hunter (Star Trek, No 52)

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

 

 

"Home is the Hunter" is truly one of the better written Star Trek numbered novels. The premise: The Enterprise is dispatched to Cragon V in order to compete with the Klingons over mineral rights. (One side note, this being a pre-warp culture, why were they there?). Once the Enterprise arrives they discover that the Klingons have been there for sometime and have been giving the locals some weapons and combat training. They also discover that they have to wait for the world leader, Weyland to get a decision as to who gets the mineral rights. Weyland himself is an interesting creature. Since this classic trek novel was published in October of 1990, the author obviously had been watching Star Trek The Next Generation and has come up with a creature who seems to be of the Q Continuum, but without blatantly stating he is. While on the planet, Captain Kirk, his crew and the Klingons finally meet with Weyland. The meeting doesn't go well for either side and they decide to depart. A skirmish begins between the opposing sides and an innocent child is killed along with a one of the Starfleet officers. Thus begets Weyland's reasoning behind disabling both the Enterprise and the Klingon vessel. He also hurls three of Captain Kirk's crew into the past. Scotty finds himself in Scotland in the year 1746. Sulu is in Japan in the year 1600 and Chekov is in Russia in the year 1942. Along with Scotty, Chekov and Sulu being thrown back in time, there is a very good story going on between Kirk and the Klingons. The Klingons seemed slightly out of character for Klingons. But not to worry, their characterizations only go slightly off the trail as far as how they are perceived as a culture.

As stated above, this is a wonderfully well written and thought out novel. The only odd thing about this is the author him or herself. It seems out of all of the Star Trek novels written, this seems to be the only one with this individuals name on it. Such a shame, she or he writes very well. Thank you once again to Chapulina R for the reading suggestion.

Here is one of the few Star Trek novels I recommend reading. Like "The Final Reflection", it is not typical Trekkie fare. This fast-paced but intricate adventure begins with a dispute between the Federation and Klingon Empire for possession of Cragon V, a remote, mineral-rich planet. Little do Captains Kirk and Kral know that an omnipotent being from an unknown and unnamed Continuum has appointed himself "god" of Cragon's primitive population. Disdainful of the barbarism of the two 23rd-century powers, the capricious deity throws both of their ships into peril and their crews into chaos. For extra measure, he hurls Sulu, Scotty, and Chekhov into the distant pasts of their ancestral Terran homelands. He then amuses himself by observing how these lower life-forms will acquit themselves under their severely trying circumstances. This Trek novel distinguishes itself by its well-researched historical settings, as Sulu finds himself a Samurai in feudal Japan, Scott a Keltic clansman battling the British, and Chekhov a Soviet airman in the Battle of Stalingrad. At first desirous only of returning to the Enterprise, all three time-refugees become immersed in their warrior roles and the moral choices they are forced to make. Meanwhile, Kral and his courageous consort Vladra must survive a mutiny, then somehow form an alliance with Kirk to convince the Omnipotent One of their respective species' capacity for honor. "Home Is The Hunter" is outstanding among Trek novels for its characterizations, particularly those of Scotty, Chekhov, and Sulu, who are too often overlooked in favor of the "Big Three". Unfortunately, Uhura is almost completely ignored in this story. Personally, I wish she had also been sent time-traveling. She probably would have found herself among the Dahomeyan Amazons facing the French Foreign Legion!

I loved it. A new approach to time travel that kept me thinking for days. A Must read for all Star Trek fans.

Kirk and the Enterprise are once again engaged in a dispute with the Klingons over a planet where the people have a primitive culture. Like the original series episode "Errand of Mercy" things are not as they appear to be. However, unlike the Organians, the people of the planet are exactly as they appear. The difference is that a single, powerful being called Weyland is the god of the planet. When the Klingons arrived before the Federation, Weyland was elsewhere and unavailable. Therefore, the Klingons were able to establish relations with the native people and begin training them to be warlike. The Enterprise arrives and in a dispute between Federation personnel and the Klingons, a Klingon throws a grenade and Garrovick of the Enterprise is killed trying to save a young boy, who is also killed in the blast.
This enrages Weyland, who decides to punish both sides. The Enterprise and Klingon ship are both disabled and their controls radiate intense heat. (Exactly like in "Errand of Mercy.") Each ship is then locked into an orbit that will lead to it entering the atmosphere in approximately twenty-four hours. For reasons that are never explained, Weyland also chooses to send Scotty, Sulu and Chekov back into the past, each one into a situation of their ethnic heritage. No Klingons are sent back in time, their subplot is a battle between the Klingon commander Kral and his first officer and brother Krbex.
Scott is sent back to 18th century Scotland, Chekov to the Soviet Union in World War II and Sulu to feudal Japan. Each is forced to fight in wars and all face the possibility of altering their future by changing events from what they are supposed to be. Chekov is even imprisoned with an ancestor of James Kirk. All acquit themselves well and stay alive until they are returned to the proper time. However, the Klingons show no such nobility. Krbex assumes command of the Klingon ship and attempts to kill his brother and commander. The Enterprise rescues Kral and he is with Kirk when he confronts Weyland. It all turns out to be an attempted execution where the condemned Federation representatives managed to survive. At the end, Sulu goes back to Japan and discovers proof that he was in fact sent back in time.
I did not find this story that interesting. The similarities to "Errand Of Mercy" were so strong that it was almost plagarism. There was also the degree of inequity between the punishments of the Klingons and the Enterprise crew. Also, there is no explanation as to what kind of creature Weyland really is.

This book probably ought to rate three and a half stars; three seems a bit low, but four would definitely be too high.

The "main" plot, involving Kirk, the Klingons, and the apparent member of the Q continuum "Weyland", is obviously simply a frame hastily put together to justify the basic concept of the book, which is to put Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov back in time at key points of their own ancestral histories; Chekov meets Stalin during WWII; Scotty meets Bonnie Prince Charlie during the rebellion, and Sulu is in Japan during the Samurai period (1600). The time travel concept was reasonably well handled (although the author missed a WONDERFUL opportunity by not additionally having McCoy set back in the American south during the Civil War; the others, particularly Chekov, got to confront some of the ugliness of their own romanticized heritage, and that would have been a doozy) but nothing spectacular. The writing in general is likewise competent but not outstanding.

A perfectly acceptably enjoyable read, but nothing more.

I am an avid Star Trek reader. This book is an excellent choice for someone looking for a book with the support characters featured. I Liked the time travel theme, but with a new twist. The story line sticks in the readers mind long after you put the book down. This is a must title to add to your collection.