Customer Reviews

Starfleet Year One (Star Trek)

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

 

 

The first page of "Starfleet: Year One" states that it is "unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise". If the reader wants to enjoy what little there is to enjoy in this book, it's important to remember that.

"Starfleet: Year One" is the novelization of Michael Jan Friedman's twelve-part serial released by Pocket Books in all their Trek books between mid-1999 and mid-2000. Expanded here, but originally written before "Deep Space Nine" had left the airwaves and before anyone had a good idea what the fifth Trek series would be, "Starfleet: Year One" tells the story of Earth cobbling together a very small Starfleet in the wake of the Earth-Romulan wars. However, continuity already established in the fledgling "Enterprise" shows that much of what occurs in "Starfleet: Year One: could never happen.

The basic plot line (not that the single sentence above doesn't sum up most of what you need to know) is that, given six ships from Earth Command and a mandate to fill them with a mixture of races, a very young Starfleet find itself torn between trying to establish itself as a military presence or a scientific/exploratory one. Half of the new starship captains fought at the final battle of the Earth-Romulan War and are very militaristic and half are scientists, merchants or loners who fit the 'explorer' category. Tensions build between the two factions to see which side will have a captain chosen to command the U.S.S. Daedalus, the first of a new fleet of vessels that can travel Warp 3 and hold over two hundred people.

None of this is makes for bad writing necessarily, but Friedman fills his work with every possible continuity reference imaginable. While he primarily draws from the Original Series episode "Balance of Terror" and the Next Generation episode "Power Play", he draws even the most incidental plot points from so many other episodes that you begin to think that he fears that if even one continuity reference is missing, the narrative will completely fall apart. For example, he sets up a three-page dialogue just to make a continuity reference about the book responsible for the Original Series episode "A Piece of the Action". Likewise, not one of his characters (and there are many) has a personality that can't be summed up in one sentence. Most of them essentially end up as caricatures of one personality trait or another.

Friedman's premise certainly isn't bad, and he definitely did his homework in compiling a backstory, but it ultimately falls flat on his annoying characters and Saturday-morning-cartoonesque storytelling. The ending, likewise, comes out as a bad mix of science and fictional anthropology with a trite moral tacked on to it for good measure. While the way is open for a sequel - or a series - I find myself oddly grateful that there will never be any more books in the series. Even though I like the universe he cobbles together, I'm grateful that the rather sad caricatures won't be back for more adventures.

This is a book that, ultimately, I find myself recommending only to the die-hard "Star Trek" fan that won't let the continuity issues bother him too much (possibly an oxymoron, I know). Otherwise, if you're interested in the beginning of a much more well-realized "Star Trek" universe, go watch "Enterprise".

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I haven't read a Star Trek book in a number of years. . .the stories just did not interest me, the books had become too formulaic. . .and was extremely disappointed in the one recent book that I muddled through. Picked this one up at the Pharmacy just to have something to fall asleep to during a bout of flu and couldn't put it down. Yes, the characters were really larger than life and, despite all good intentions, still conformed to that "Starfleet" damaged-but-in-a-good-way characterization. The "creation" of Starfleet happened a little too quickly, although necessary for the original form in which this story was presented. And the technology, especially the transporter, was too new to be used so often. Little things really when you consider the excellent pacing and likable characters, plausible storyline, and well-written action scenes. Perhaps more stories should be written in serial form!!!

Being a huge fan of TNG and Voyager, Enterprise has yet to get my attention. Star Trek Starfleet: Year One did get my attention and, also in my opinion, is the story that we should be seeing on a weekly basis.

I'm sure that it will be quite a while before I buy another Star Trek book. . .fortunately, this one was well worth the time and money!!!

Well, now we know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say. As the beginning of the UFP and Starfleet, we get a pretty good picture of what's in store for this fledgling. As books go, this is called a filler a book to fill in gaps and that's about it.

Starfleet: Year One is unrelated to the events depicted in the television series Enterprise. It says that inside on the very first page. But as this is a story that needs to be told, Michael Jan Friedman has done an excellent job of it.

Good character development, plot lines and is plausable. This is a really fast read a one nighter. So if you want to find out how it all began in the Trek world... read this book.

But remember there is no continuity with any series. So, if you are into Trek you'll probably like it, all others, pass it by it's not worth the money.

As some reviewers are unaware, this book was written well before ENTERPRISE appeared on television.

Starfleet: Year One is a truer Trek and would have been a better premise for a Trek prequel.

I like ENTERPRISE, but I liked Starfleet: Year One even more. Very well done.

Fans of Star Trek have been following the various shows now for over 30 years. For those who were fans prior to 1993, this book is a breath of fresh air. Michael Jan Friedman, like Peter David, understands the Trek universe and how to use its vast resources to weave a very enjoyable novel that is consistent with the estabished history of the "Trek" universe. Alas, the current TV series, Enterprise, does not. If you enjoy DS9, Voyager, or Enterpise more than The Original Series or NextGen, this book probably isn't for you. However, if you want a plausable prequel to the Trek of Kirk's time, check this out. You won't be disappointed.

I received this book directly from the author, Michael Jan Friedman, while I was attending a convention in my home state. I was finally able to sit down and read it after catching up on my backlog of reading other Star Trek novels.

I have to say that it was worth the wait! I found it very enjoyable to read the beginnings of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets. There is even the foreshadowing of the future ambassador from the planet Vulcan! Now I'm wondering if there is, or will be, a follow-up with "Starfleet: Year Two", the ongoing adventures of the six original Starfleet captains?

Michael Jan Friedman usually writes good science fiction and this is no exception. It is NOT TV's Enterprise but it does address some similar issues and those that Enterprise was reluctant or did not have time to explore. I can understand why the book does not "pop" to readers but it is a good read. The Federation, like Rome was not built in a day. There were problems in the fledgling government (much like every new nation when they form a government). The ship designs, particularly the Daedalus, are based off rejected designs for the Original Trek even some character names were from these sources. This book, while a bit light on the action, does tell about some of the growing pains and compromises in the creation of the Federation and the aftermath of the Romulan War

This entertaining story details the beginning year of the famous Starfleet of the United Federation of Planets. The basic storyline consists of a power struggle between explorers and military leaders-both groups intent on shaping Starfleet to their own needs and ambitions. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. I also grew quite attached to all of the characters, especially the captains of Starfleet. And at the end, I love how the bickering captains all finally realize that they must work as a team to make Starfleet successful. A great read!

I did not think I would enjoy this book but I was wrong. Michael Jan Friedman breaks new ground by introducing a new cast of characters to the Star Trek universe. The interplay between the military and scientists was intriguing. The pacing was fast and for fans who like lots of space battles there were plenty to be had.

The plot did not really contain any surprises however the story provides the reader with potential insight into the difficulties experienced by the first Captains to wear the Star Fleet uniform.

This is a good story on how starfleet began. It isn't base on enterprise which is expeted because It came out befor enterprise. It stays true to the tos series. I read a revew that someons said that They make visual contact to the romulans. They don't it is adio contact only they dont make visual contact. It is also about how there is a compation on keeping starfleet in a difince line then sinence division. Read the boook.