Customer Reviews

Star Trek: The Original Series: Crucible: Kirk: The Star to Every Wandering

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

 

 

I like this author, and I really enjoyed the McCoy and the Spock "Crucible" novels. I did not particularly like this novel. A good part of my dislike is based upon its emphasis on events that took place in the "Star Trek Generations" film. I always thought that the whole premise of "Generations" was silly and improbable, and perhaps for this reason I had trouble investing much interest in this story.

Some hard core Star Trek fans will no doubt enjoy this piece, but I found it to be distinctly weaker than the other two Crucible novels, and I had difficulty finishing it.

Out of the three books regarding McCoy, Spock & Kirk, I found the one about Kik the least enjoyable. I was surprised since the other two were outstanding reads. It was still OK and worth the time to read. It's just that the other two were that much better. Still, I'm glad to have in my ST Universe collection.

I've read all three books in the Crucible Trilogy in the order that they were written, beginning with McCoy, then Spock, and finally ending with Kirk. The book on Captain Kirk: The Star to Every Wandering was a bittersweet tale of love lost and the hope of finding that lost love again. This book was written to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek the Original Series and has references to various television episodes as well as the Trek films in which Captain Kirk appeared. The common thread that all three books in the Crucible Trilogy has is the TV epsiode: "The City on the Edge of Forever". If you enjoyed that episode, I feel confident that you will enoy reading each one of the Crucible Trilogy books.

Slightly better than its "Crucible: Spock" predecessor, not nearly as good as the "Crucible: McCoy" opener of the trilogy. (Curious that even in a trilogy that consists of three separate stories not interdependant on one another, the middle installment manages to be the weakest.) For those who agree with the common perception that Edith Keeler was truly the love of Kirk's life, this story will doubtless work better than it did for me. But in order to accept that proposition, I would have to accept the cultural myth of "love at first sight" to an extent that I've never been able to manage (see my review of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet.) After all, Kirk had only known her for a very brief time, not long enough to truly form a solid relationship that would constitute real love. Granted, infatuation interrupted can be devastating, and might even leave a weak-willed, impractical person traumatized for life. But Kirk was neither weak-willed nor impractical, and while the guilt feelings for having essentially caused the death of a woman he, at the very least, cared for deeply and greatly respected would certainly have been real and have haunted him for the rest of his life, I refuse to believe that what he had romantically with her was real enough to poison his relationships similarly. Furthermore, to suggest that Kirk's inability to have lasting relationships was a result of the events in "City On The Edge of Forever" is to overlook the fact that his romantic pattern was already established in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "Dagger of the Mind", "Miri", and "The Conscience of the King" before "City on the Edge of Forever" occurred. To say nothing of the fact that it seems to me (although without more research than I'm willing to put into a quick review I can't prove it) that David Marcus was born and Carol Marcus broken up with before that episode. In any case, while Edith Keeler was certainly a fascinating personality, I sincerely doubt that Kirk would have been capable of a lasting relationship with her, even under circumstances that didn't preclude the possibility. He was, as it was frequently established during the series, "married" to his ship, and all other relationships took second place to that. ("Elaan of Troyus", among other episodes.)

So I find the basic premise of this book dubious, if not quite as dubious as that of the "Crucible: Spock" book, and that is why I rate it at less than five stars. Still, it is a well-written and enjoyable story for all of that, and a four-star rating is certainly not a pan.

This book was a radical departure in style and length for David George. It is unlike the first two books of the Crucible trilogy but in a good way. The story strickly adheres to canon and has lots of nice touches. The fast paced story starts with Kirk at the end of Generations and takes some amazing twists and turns before coming to a most unusual and satisfying ending. I really cant say too much more without spoiling the book. If you enjoyed the first two you will certainly enjoy this one. If you prefer shorter novels then you will enjoy this one even more.

First of all, I liked the entire trilogy well enough; the premise tied together three tales all relating to the Guardian of Forever in a creative and thoughtful manner. But in this novel....Antonia was a clingy, whining drama queen, in my opinion, needy and possessive and self-centered. I can well see why Kirk would've left her to return to Starfleet! But the author has Kirk feeling like a heel...worse, the author seems to imply that Kirk deserved to feel rotten for how he 'treated' Antonia. I can't imagine a strong, confident, visionary woman like Edith Keeler ever behaving like Antonia, so it's no wonder that Edith was, after all, the true love of Kirk's life.

A very good depiction of the inner struggle Jim Kirk must face when it comes to finding his true love in life, Edith Keeler and how he balances his views on how the universe has treated him. A must read for all Star Trek fans of James T. Kirk.

Just finished reading Crucible: Kirk and I have to say that it is very emotional. Actually, I felt like it was an extended version of Star Trek: Generations. At the second part of the book, I felt that there were scenes that would have firt nicely in the movie. Actually, I believe some of what's in the book was actually scenes that were cut from the movie.

Having read all three books, I can now give my opinion on all at once and here's how I break it down:

Crucible: McCoy: This was the best one in the series. I thought it heartwarming, touching and emotional.

Crucible: Spock: Was an okay one but I felt it was a bit weak.

Crucible: Kirk: Not as great as McCoy but still a fun and interesting tale.

I thank David George for writing these novels and allowing me the pleasure of reading something as mesmerizing as this series was.

Thank You Very Much Kind Sir.

David George is one of my favorite writers - Star Trek or otherwise. Each book of this trilogy left me excited to read the next one. I love how all three books have new scenes that are interwoven with original series episodes. The new scenes were so good, I had a hard time recalling whether or not they were actually in the episodes. What a great way to pay tribute to the show on it's 40 year anniversary. Each book has it's own distinct tone which I also liked. The first two are more personal and character-driven. Even though this one is more action-oriented, it still manages to reveal the heart of Kirk. I like that George wasn't constrained by what was published previously. However, he remains true to the canon of the original and animated series. He also gives us a new take on the origins of Kirk - one that I find far more interesting than being the son of a starfleet admiral. After reading this, I also had a much greater appreciation for the movie, Generations. I now view it very differently. If you've got an open mind and let yourself go with the story, you'll enjoy the ride!

One thing I always respected about Star Trek books is the way they fit into a framework. Unless an author is referring to thier own previous works, the books are generally self-contained, and manage to not contradict previously established events. I had to stop reading this one before I was finished because it simply doesn't fit.

- Kirk's mom dead when he was 9? His dad dead when he was 11? What happened to 'Best Destiny', where Kirk, age 16, is on Enterprise with his dad, because his mom can't keep a handle on him? When did George Kirk become Pa Kent?

- Calling the Enterprise-A a recommissioned Yorktown nicely explains how the ship was so conveniently ready to go at the end of ST4, but what about the start of ST5, when they establish how buggy the rush-construction job on the new ship was?

And reading a characterization of Kirk as saddled with regrets and living so heavily in the past (just how much reliving did he do in the nexus..?), it just doesn't fit. Been there, done that- ST2, anyone?
Maybe the book redeemed itself at the end, but reading the previous reviews, I doubt it. The constant time travel was annoying, I got tired of keeping track of all the different Kirks floating around (wait, was that Jim, or was it Kirk..?). And the continuity gaps made it impossible to take seriously. It's like the author just decided to throw everything out and make stuff up at random.