The Last Round-Up [Import] [Unbound]

Christie Golden (Author)

Product Details

• Unbound
• Publisher: Star Trek Books (July 2002)
• ISBN-10: 0743449118
• ISBN-13: 978-0743449113
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Award-winning author Christie Golden has written over thirty novels and several short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Golden launched the TSR Ravenloft line in 1991 with her first novel, the highly successful Vampire of the Mists. She is the author of several original fantasy novels, including On Fire's Wings, In Stone's Clasp, and Under Sea's Shadow, the first three in her multi-book fantasy series The Final Dance from LUNA Books.Among Golden's other projects are over a dozen Star Trek novels and the well-received StarCraft Dark Templar trilogy, Firstborn, Shadow Hunters, and the forthcoming Twilight. An avid player of Blizzard's MMORPG World of Warcraft, Golden has written several novels in that world (Lord of the Clans, Rise of the Horde) with three more in the works. She has also written two Warcraft manga stories for Tokyopop, I Got What Yule Need and A Warrior Made. Golden lives in Colorado with her husband and two cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bland Trek fiction, June 28, 2002

By 

Michael Hickerson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Roundup (Star Trek) (Hardcover)

The latest Star Trek hardcover novel, "The Last Round-Up" promises to be the "final" adventure of the origianl series crew. However, instead of sending the crew riding off into the sunset in a blaze of glory, we instead get them slumping to the finish line in a novel that is rather derivative of a lot of things you've read before in Trek fiction.

The story starts out with Captain Kirk, teaching classes at the Acadamy, but not fully satisfied with his life now that he's not commanding a starship (shades of Star Trek II). He is approached by his two nephews about going out to help them start a colony, based upon peaceful principles and doing pure scientific research. Figuring he could use the adventure and to get away from a student who is annoying him (a character created specifically for this book called Skalli, who gets real old, realy fast), Kirk agrees. But it turns out the planet his nephews and company are colonizing isn't all it was advertised to be (imagine that) and before you know it Kirk is up to his neck in a plot that threatens the entire future and stability of the Federation.

Christie Golden's first attempt at writing a classic Star Trek novel comes off as a rather pedestrian affair. It's got the feeling of the been-there, done-that throughout. In a lot of ways, the idea of Kirk heading out to set-up a colony echoes the six-part summer series New Earth from two summers ago. There are some twists and turns, but they are fairly obvious what they will be long before they are revealed in the book.

But for all it's disappointing aspects, the Last Round-Up has a few things to recommend. Golden does a decent job capturing the character of Kirk and she does have an intriguing idea of the Klingons owing him a favor and wanting to repay it after the events of Star Trek VI. However, these two things don't add up to enough to really make this one worth the hardcover price. The Last Round-Up is a fairly quick and then largely forgettable read. If you're really interested, I'd recommend waiting for paperback on this one.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Last ... ( yawn ) ... Roundup, September 26, 2002

By 

Mark Sheridan (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Roundup (Star Trek) (Hardcover)

It has been over a decade since the last movie featuring all of the original Star Trek crew, yet since then there have been a number of books claiming to be their last adventure. I am beginning to wonder if any of these authors know what the meaning of the word "last" actually is !!! For my money the best post "ST VI" book is without doubt William Shatner's "Ashes of Eden", but I'm afraid this one doesn't even come close to that. Here we have another writer clearly raised more on modern Star Trek than the original series who writes a largely lifeless tale where all the characters "get in touch with their feelings and get together for a group hug !" - well actually it's not quite that bad but it comes pretty close. I'm sorry but this kind of wimpy, revisionist Star Trek is just not my cup of tea, and in fact is what I blame for sapping the life out of the Star Trek legend. I can't help but be reminded of the Khan novels by Greg Cox from last year and the year before, which also were extremely weak stories inconsistent with established Star Trek fact. Golden is obviously of the same generation of writers, one who takes ideas from the original series but distorts them for the sake of the story she wants to write rather than adding to the overall Star Trek history. I also have to wonder if she is a "Star Wars" fan and this is her revenge on "Star Trek", because I'm sure other readers will note that the character of "Skalli" comes across as this novel's "Jar Jar Binks", with all that this implies. Much of the plot for this novel appears to be cobbled together from a host of Star Trek shows and films and is really just another tired retread, though I guess the reader can always play "now where did I see this before !", but what's the point. Again I find myself shaking my head that so much modern Star Trek has gone this way. If any real fans of the original series are interested and want to read about a planet called Sanctuary (*it really is an overused name in Star Trek !) then I would recommend the book "Sanctuary" by John Vornholt, Star Trek #61, which was published in September 1992, at least that has some excitement and mystery in it. As for this novel, at the end of the day if this is the last roundup I think the cows would have all fallen asleep out of boredom on the trail.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good considering the recent Star Trek books, August 7, 2004

By 

General Pete (SC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Last Roundup (Star Trek) (Mass Market Paperback)

Bored with his new life of teaching classes at Starfleet James Kirk signs on with his brothers children to start a new life on a colony world. Strange i've been following Trek books for some time and this is the first mention I have heard of these guys Julius and Alexander. I hope it is not the last they should prove worthy additions t the universe.

The plot is preety standard they get to planet and find out that things are not all as they seem. Which is just as well because if they got to the place and nothing happened it would make for a very dull Star Trek book. The only thing that hurts the book is that the main conflict is wrapped up so easily.

Overall-My small critisms do not mean that the book is not fun to read I polished it off in an afternoon it was also nice to see the Orion Syndcate they are probably my most favorite component of life in the Star Trek universe proves that there are still people in space that don't buy the federations high minded ideals.