Customer Reviews

PAWNS AND SYMBOLS: STAR TREK #26

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

 

 

Pawns and Symbols was a excellent book, not only because of an excellently written story, but because of the history it shows. These Klingons are pre-ridge Klingons and there manner is slightly different. The ' slave girl'/informant shows this very well. She was drawn into the society and liked it. I would recommed this book to everyone, even if you dislike Klingons.

A scientist is 'rescued' by Kang the emperor elect and taken to the Klingon Empire to work on a new type of grain she has developed. The scientist Jean, refuses to help, until she learns of the horrible blight that has struck the empire's grain supply, and is starving an empire. Millions of starving klingons that would wish her dead, but only she can save

I was bored with the heroine before we even got started. Within ten pages she's gone from damsel in distress to former knife-throwing expert. Skimmed to the end; there was hardly anything with the main crew, and when they were around, they were wondering where the heroine was. Maybe if you dig Klingon history, you'll find something to like but there was nothing keeping me interested. If you want creative background on ST races, read "The Romulan Way" so you have a standard to shoot for. That's a great one.

This is a really good classic Trek read, not that much unlike Dwellers in the Crucible...when I say that I mean that it doesn't really focus on the crew of the Enterprise although they do appear. That being said it does pull heavily from the original TV series, specifically the Trouble With Tribbles...but don't worry, they only make a cameo!

What this book gives us a good look at is Klingon society...their code of honor, how their familial lineages work, their customs..we learn this by way of Jean Czerny...tasked to work on botanical experiments on Sherman's Planet...a disaster strikes, her whole team killed..who's there to pick up the pieces and 'rescue' Jean? Commander Kang, heir apparent to the Klingon throne of the Empire...

All through the book, nobody is really what they seem on the surface, which is one aspect I really enjoyed...

There were two things I didn't really enjoy though..I thought the Klingons spoke a little too 'humanly'...slang, vernacular...this didn't happen all the time but it showed up often enough..then again, this book was written well before the Klingons were given their due and developed in film and TV (while they showed up on the original series, they were pretty human like there as well) so it's a minor annoyance...there's also a story within a story featuring a primary original series character smack dab in the middle of the book that seemingly had no place being there..I won't spoil it any further..

all said and done though, a really good read for star trek fans despite being a little light on Kirk and the gang

It's SO VERY BORING! I'm falling asleep! Aaaaah!