Customer Reviews

Star Trek V: the Final Frontier

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On "The Planet of Galactic Peace" - real name, Nimbus III - a renegade Vulcan converts drought-starved farmers, bandits, and the three diplomats unlucky enough to be assigned (or should that be exiled?) there by the three powers holding combined oversight of that world. The Klingon and Romulan Empires, and the United Federation of Planets, all use Nimbus III as a dumping ground for their undesirable citizens and minor criminals. What could have become a planet-sized success like Earth's Australia has, instead, become a place of despair thanks to an unfavorable and drastic climate shift. The smiling Vulcan, Sybok, takes the three diplomats as curiously willing hostages to draw a Federation starship to Nimbus III. That starship is a brand new Enterprise, under the command of former Admiral James T. Kirk. Reduced to the rank of captain for his role in Captain Spock's unauthorized rescue from the Genesis planet, fighting guilt and depression after losing his son during that mission, and frustrated by the new ship's lack of readiness for this assignment, Kirk contends with an endless string of systems that malfunction or just plain refuse duty, and with the presence on board of only the barest skeleton crew.

Spock, still adjusting after his return from death, finds himself dealing with something even more traumatic. Sybok is Spock's half brother, banished from Vulcan so completely that his name no longer appears in any official record. As the Enterprise officers learn about Sybok's quest to reach the galaxy's center, and the supreme being (common to the ancient beliefs of all sapient races) that resides there, Spock is torn between his love and boyhood hero worship for his elder brother, and his duty to both the Federation and his friends.

Quite frankly, I hated the film on which this novel is based. I only picked the book up to read because I've always enjoyed J.M. Dillard's novelizations, and - to my pleasant surprise - I enjoyed this one just as much as the others. The story that didn't work at all on the big screen worked just fine as prose, probably because a novelist can put me inside the characters' heads. Sybok, and Spock's relationship with him, are as credible in the book as they were (to me, at least) incredible in the movie. Nicely done, Ms. Dillard!

The even numbered Star Trek movies seem to get the better storylines. V is no exception.

Bringing in their novel expert on mind control and obsession, Paramount has issued a novelization that is more understandable then the movie was.

If you were confused by the movie, try reading this.

If any of you have watched the Star Trek movies you know this book is the written version of the movie. It's a real great plot. The book starts off with Spock, Kirk, and McCoy camping in Yosemite, my favorite part in the whole story. Kirk gets a call from Starfleet during this camping trip and is sent of a rescue mission. I won't tell you much of the mission, for I don't want to spoil the fun, but I will tell you it is a great adventure. Many people say that Spock betrays Kirk in this story, but to be honest, he really doesn't. Should refusing to kill you brother really be called betrayal? I don't think it should. This story has many funny things in it. It is a great book. One I would suggest you get.

I believe gigantic kudos goes out to J.M. Dillard for making The Final Frontier a GREAT deal more entertaining that the absolutely dreadful film written and directed by William Shatner. For those who MUST read all the Trek novels available, certainly you will enjoy this more than you could ever hope to like the film version, but while it is light years ahead, you can only polish up this story so much.

And what about *the story*? Without question, Trek V has the most ridiculously contrived and laughable plot of ANY Trek story, either in written form, on TV or on the big screen. I was 100% caught up the the hype that the previews created before the film was released...I gotta hand it to whoever edited them together, because they actually made the movie look exciting and very worthwhile to look forward to...unfortunately the end result was just pure drivel.

So Spock has a brother who has abandoned all Logic and has embraced the lawless and violent traditions of the Vulcan past before the supression of emotions helped save their race. Moreover, he is a devout believer in the Almighty, too (I know, not only does it SOUND like a stretch, but they never pulled it off--not even remotely in the film). So Sybok (Spock's emotionally disturbed Bro) is determinded to not just embrace his emotions and belief in God, but he is hell-bent on Proving His existence, as well. Not an easy task in a Galaxy full of Athiests. The story just becomes even more silly as it continues. Word has it that after Leonard Nimoy's triumphant success co-writing and directing Trek IV (arguably one of the all-time best films in the ENTIRE franchise history) Shatner flatly refused to do another movie unless he was given the chance to write and direct as well...and unfortunately, the Final Frontier is the end result. One wonders how Paramount managed to Green Light the fantastic Undiscovered Country after such a disaster? At least they ended on a great high note.

One interesting side note: while Shatners writing of this movie is abysmal to say the least, he has shown unexpected finesse in writing later novels set in the Trek Universe, some of which can be viewed as the best in print (this is in part largely due to his co-writers who are easily the best Trek authors writing today IMO).

J.M. Dillard should once again be credited for taking such a horrible script and turning it into a MUCH better story than it otherwise would have been -- but you can only do so much with a crappy story, and Dillard did more than I felt would normally have been considered possible based on what was there to work with in the first place.

Yeah, so what they said. The movie was a bomb, and the book tells the story the way it should have been.

Trek books are a tricky thing. Novelizations are a tricky thing. This particular Trek novelization does everything it should, and more. The only problem is that an artist is only as her subject matter, and Find God in the Center of the Galaxy still remains a hokey premise.

But let's focus on the good things. Every major Trek player gets a focus in this novel, including Sulu, who had a big part in all of McIntyre's novelizations. I was glad to see Dillard continue his story in the same vein. We get to see his and Scotty's "secret pain", as well as several other characters in the movie who got left out.

All the characters have depth -- the three delegates, the Klingons, Sybok himself, even the funky-toothed guy drilling holes in the opening shot. Every one is three-dimensional. Example: Klaa (Klingon captain) is no longer a chip-shouldered upstart with delusions of grandeur. He's a Klingon worthy of Klingons, and his motives in pursuing Kirk are revealed as devious and calculating, rather than dumb and bumbling as they appeared in the film.

This novel ties the movie into the others. Star Trek II-V form one continuous tale, without a whole lot of break in between. Yet they still make very little reference one to another. In this novel, we see a Kirk who was re-rejected by a dear love only months before, who lost his son very recently, and who is still coping with Spock's death and resurrection.

I have nothing but praise for the work of J.M. Dillard thus far. And this is no exception. If you, like me, consider Star Trek V the red-headed stepchild of the Star Trek series (no offense to all you red-headed stepchildren), then please read this novelization. Give it a shot. You'll like it. Or I'll buy you a Twinkie. (not really though)

Star Trek V, the Novel, is much better than the movie. There is so much more depth and adventure that the movie really shows that it was cut up pretty badly in post production. Even though this is one of the weakest of the Star Trek movies, it is still great reading!

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier arguably had the silliest of plot concepts, and the touches of buffoonish humor did not help the movie much either.

Sybok, a renegade Vulcan from Spock's past, has managed to seize Nimbus III, the 'Planet of Intergalatic Peace'. But it is a ruse, what he really needs is a starship to take him to the center of the galaxy. Once there, Sybok believes he will meet God.

Dillard attempts to fill in the many character gaps in Shatner's Kirk centered story, giving each brainwashed member of the crew a chance to have center stage and a moment to shine. Thus it is more of an ensemble piece than the film. Dillard also clarifies some of the fuzzy plot points, making the hijacking and trip to God a tad easier to believe. There is also an honorable attempt to fit the concept of Nimbus III into the Trek Mythos rather than having it just be a gimmick jumping off point for the story. But despite all this hard work this novel is worthwhile reading only for those who would like to see a silly story told in a more well thought out manner. Strictly for Trek buffs.

The movie version of "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" was an unutterable turkey, totally unconvincing on a number of levels. This book, while remaining true to the movie in most major plot points, varying only in minor detail, nonetheless manages to be a great deal more plausible and internally consistent, both with itself and with the established Star trek universe as a whole. The characterization is better, the plot flows more smoothly and makes more sense, and several details that were completely implausible in the movie are at least arguable here, if not completely acceptable. The book is quite enjoyable on a simple action-story level, and on deeper levels it is at least as good as most Star Trek stories, better than some if also not as good as others.

Definitely recommended for any "Trek" fans who would like to see the movie version turned into a viable story, and if you actually liked the movie, there's nothing here not to like.

In regards to the review below, I fail to see why a novel that fails to be upbeat is considered diminished in some way. Most great books aren't particularly upbeat, because most great deeds or events don't occur when everything is hunky-dory. And while Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is by no means a "great book," neither was the film a classic. Nevertheless, both are entertaining and worthwhile voyages of the imagination for your typical Star Trek fan.

I never watched Star Trek V, but everyone seems to agree that it's a faliure. But however bad the movie is, it can't be worse than this. The novelization is incredibly depressing! The movie, at least,seems to have had a somewhat humorous mood. But this is utterly absent in the novel.