Customer Reviews

Mind Meld (Star Trek: The Original Series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Verry good book. Story gives some great insights into Spock and what it means to be a Vulcan child. While Kirk and the rest of the crew are of on an mision Spock must make sure he and his niece survive their stay on Rigel V. Teska -having first hand knowledge of a murder- is threatened by a group of criminals. Spock is faced with trying to keep her and himself alive till the enterprise returns. On Spoch rests the fate if Romulans and Vulcans will even get to their goal of reunification. Can Spock rescue Teska ??

This book is based on one of the best premises for a Star Trek novel ever used. It is set in the time where there are the beginnings of a re-unification movement between Vulcans and the Romulans. Teska is a young Vulcan child that has been raised on Earth and she is to be betrothed to a young Romulan of the same approximate age. If the two then enter into the blood fever of pon farr at the appropriate time, it will be strong evidence that the Vulcans and Romulans are one species and can be united. It is now time for Teska and her prospective mate to travel to Vulcan for the ceremony.
An aged Kirk is tasked with the mission of taking Teska to Vulcan and her uncle Spock is to guide and protect her as she is prepares for the ceremony. Within this context, the Enterprise is also transporting a group of Rigelians back to their homeworld. Rigel is a member of the Federation that is trying to increase their trade ties to other worlds. However, child marriage and other activities forbidden in the Federation are still practiced on Rigel so there is the danger that Rigel could instead be expelled from the Federation.
When the Rigelian ambassador is murdered and in his last moments shares a mind meld with Teska, she learns the identity of the assassin. The faction that had him killed is headed by one of the most powerful women on Rigel, a woman that is ruthless in pursuing her goals.
Due to problems in the transport of Teska's mate to Vulcan, the Enterprise leaves Spock and Teska on Rigel while they go off to retrieve the young Romulan. The assassination planners then try to kill Spock and Teska, so they are forced to fight off the attacks while they wait for the Enterprise to return.
I have found Star Trek stories that delve into the practices of the non-human cultures to be some of the most interesting and this book is in that category. While Spock and the Federation forbid child marriage, the primary goal of the story is to betroth a seven year old girl to a young Romulan boy. It is a story right out of the alliance by marriage history of the royalty of Europe. Teska also proves that she is a very capable person, destined to rise to greatness provided she can survive her childhood.

Long ago there had been a radical change in Vulcan society. Long torn by their violent emotions a philosophy of peace through logic had swept the planet, those who did not agree with this new way of life left founding the Romulan Star Empire, which became a bitter foe of the Federation. Among both Vulcans and Romulans though there are those who hope that the long standing differences between the two societies, and that once again the race can be, if not united, at least at peace. Sarek and Spock are both advocates of this reunification, advocates to the point that Sarek has agreed to bond a young kinswoman to a Romulan boy. If the bond is successful, and the two eventually marry it will be a great step toward reuniting the two cultures, much like marriages of state that occurred in Earth's past. This is a long-term plan though, the young would be couple are both seven years old.

Spock has been appointed to act as the girl's guardian/chaperone to escort her to Vulcan for the ceremony. Along the way though things begin to go wrong, so wrong that Kirk begins to believe that the mission is run by Murphy's Law. Spock discovers that in addition to his unaccustomed duties as surrogate parent he also has to contend with murder, smuggling, kidnapping and his own interesting proposition.

This is a very interesting novel, one that starts with great promise. Unfortunately it begins to get a bit bogged down in the middle and the aburptly jumps to the end. Whole great sections of the story that were carefully laid out in the beginning just seem to be forgotten. It is almost as if this were meant to be a multibook arc that never was finished. Too bad because it had great potential.

For those who are Vulcan fans this one would be a great read. As for the missing bits, fill them in for yourself, the author got you off to a great start.

Spock as the foster-parent for a seven-year-old Vulcan girl? An interesting premise. A step toward the Unification of Vulcans and Romulans? Always an interesting plot device. A planet full of Vulcanoids (Rigel) who are fully as emotional as Vulcans are restrained, who make Romulans look downright logical, and Spock and the girl stranded there to interact with them? Worthwhile concept, handled wonderfully. ALMOST a five-star effort; if the ending hadn't been quite so abrupt, passing over so much of the Vulcan-Romulan unification subplot, it probably would have gotten that last star. Still a fine story, though.

This book could have been great...however it's not. it has ton's of potential...plus it lays a little background as to Spock's trying to be an ambassidor with the Romulans later in life. However it just seems to leave plot points dangeling and the ending seems a bit rushed.

It's nice to see Spock as something else once in a while, & in the story we do. We all know that there is a part of Spock that has very deep feelings & he shows them for his niece in a quiet, reserved way...deeper & deeper each day, though. The ending is extemely touching

If you're looking for THE definitive, unforgettable, LOGICAL book on Vulcan culture, today is not a good day to read this. As far as action goes, it's good, with a lot of assassins and interplanetary intrigue. However, Vornholt seems to be trying to cater to all tastes, and the book's weakest moments are when it tries to put Teska and Spock in a broader galactic framework. The scenes with the Romulans (especially the foaming-at-the-mouth pon farr one) don't mesh with the rest of the plot, and are VERY weak on logic. Read it if you like learning about a different culture, though; the Rigellian customs are both detailed and original

Personally I did not care for this story. I thought the author was way off base showing the lack of logic of both Spock and his charge Teska. The story was to cute for Star Trek tastes

It's a bit floppy. It doesn't deserve four or five stars. The concept of having Spock babysitting a Vulcan child in this story is a bit dull.

Only two reasons this book deserves three stars because 1) I loved the way how the author treats pardek's character. Too bad it's not the focus of the story. 2) I like the part about tribbles. It's humorous.

Spock was portrayed in a way that we hardly ever see him in. He was protecting his niece so that in the future she could marry a Romulan. I'm sure she wasn't that happy about it. Well Spock is good in the book and I liked the way that he softened a little, in regards to Teska. If you like Spock read the book, it might surprise you.