Customer Reviews

Perry's Planet (Star Trek Series)

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The crew of the Enterprise is dead-tired and badly in need of shore leave. As they pick up scientists for transfer, they prepare to head to Starbase 6 for needed rest and repairs. While stopped briefly to make some adjustments to the failing dilithium crystals, they are suddenly attacked by a Klingon warship that seems to come out of nowhere. When the threat is averted, the Klingon captain appears on the screen, and swears a blood oath to kill Kirk in revenge for killing his brother.

With that now hanging over his head, Kirk must divert to a planet in an unsurveyed sector, that has sent an application for admission to the Federation. As it is deemed that this must be answered without delay, the Enterprise is diverted there. After beaming down, Kirk and company find themselves unable to commit the smallest act of a violent nature. A virus has been created on Perry's Planet, which acts to disable the individual when the biochemical buildup to violent action is begun. With the Klingon ship in wait for them, the consequences could be disasterous.

Jack Haldeman is the older brother of Joe Haldeman, noted science fiction and Star Trek author, and an accomplished short-story writer on his own merits. Haldeman crafts a strong if short tale here, which seems to have been padded some from a short story length. Haldeman effectively uses the characters, and keeps them IN character, including giving some time to Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov. The writing is not soaring, but it is solid, and the story will keep the reader interested.

Having just finished the tedious Next Gen novel Ghost Ship, Perry's Planet was just what the doctor ordered. The Bantam novels in general were much more simple, streamlined affairs than the Pocket novels to follow. No space wasted on character interaction or inner monologues - just a bare-bones story (pun not intended).

Perry's Planet is almost magic in the way it evokes the original series. The novel sounds and feels uncannily like an episode. The plot, like so many of the original series episodes, is a recycled hodge-podge from other episodes, including a Landru-esque society and computer program, and a pacifying virus akin to the spores from "This Side of Paradise." A Klingon death vow starts the novel off with a bang but otherwise does not live up to its promise. Wonderfully concise, Perry's Planet provides a couple of hours worth of mindless, enjoyable entertainment.

This is one of the great `non-episode' Star Trek books. This is one of the few books true to the spirit and style of the original stories. It's funny how many times other Trek fans have mentioned this one as one of their favortie Star Trek novels. It keeps coming back into print and I would love to see it re-released - say in a collection with some other Star Trek classics. If you are a fan and you haven't read it then this is a must have. It will really take you back to the old days.

I daresay this is the best Star Trek novel Bantam company has published. This author really is the first one to realize Klingon concept of honor. A pity the others didn't until TNG debuted.

This was one of the first novels based on the original Star Trek series, and while it has many of the characteristics of the following books in the series, there is a difference. The later books have tighter storylines as the authors and editors perfected the formula.
In this book, a Klingon ship whose captain is on a blood vendetta against Kirk attacks an Enterprise with a tired crew. The Enterprise easily beats off the attack, but the Klingons also plant a device that wrecks havoc in the transporter room. Kirk and company are then called on to respond to a request by a planet to start the process of joining the Federation.
Not everything in the planet is at it appears to be, as there are some unusual anomalies. While the leaders claim there is no violence, in fact there is, but the people do not notice it. The planet is actually ruled by a computer interfaced with Wayne Perry, the leader of the group that colonized the planet centuries ago. Perry's image is resurrected by the computer as a solid hologram when problems erupt.
I found this story, which is essentially another one about berserk computers that take over a society, to be rather dull. The subplot regarding the Klingons was almost a distraction rather than an improvement. The manner in which the device was planted in the transporter was never resolved and stating that it was a simple device was unconvincing. A virus that prevents a person from committing violence and acts instantaneously on humans and Klingons exceeds my believability index.

Yet, it is Star Trek and it is always great to read about the characters of the series.