Customer Reviews

Teklab

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Yes, I bought the first Tek book, TekWar because it was written by William "Captain Kirk" Shatner. But I've continued buying the rest of the series because I actually enjoy the novels. They are fun to read, interesting characters, enough plot twists to keep interest but also simplistic enough to not lose you. They are also very quick reads which are always nice. I always feel like I'm sucked in quickly, experience the book at high speed, and then finish it off feeling resolved and pleased to have enjoyed it so quickly. Some people might feel ripped off for going through it so quickly, but not me. I enjoy it and will continue to buy all of Shatner's future Tek books. This is the third novel in the series.

This is the third novel in Shatner's Tek series and while the specific actions of the main characters are a bit different, the plot is rather similar. Jake Cardigan and his partner Sid Gomez are hired to investigate a brutal murder. The victim was carved into four pieces by the murderer using a laser gun to draw an X on his body.

Their investigations lead them to Europe and a series of adventures through the dark underside of the societies. There is a bit of social comment, the government of England now is led by a president and the members of the royal family are just common people. However, there is a group that would like to restore the monarchy, but they are rather inept and inconsequential.

Shatner paints a bleak picture of the future; the Tek drug is powerful and generates enormous profits. It is a poison that permeates all societies. Entire sections of major cities are lawless, controlled by rival gangs that engage in brutal and deadly raids against each other. Cardigan's son Dan enters one of those sectors searching for a girlfriend and Jake and Gomez follow the trail. Of course, they manage to free Dan and solve the crimes.

This is not high-minded science fiction, the plot moves from action to action involving shoot-outs where even though Jake and Sid have only stun guns and the enemy has killing weapons, they always manage to emerge victorious in the gun battles. This is one of those books that you read late at night when you are not yet tired enough to sleep yet don't want to read anything that will get your brain excited and keep you awake.

This is book 3 of the series that became a TV show for a short time. If you read and enjoyed the first 2 (Tekwar and Tek Lords) you will probably like this one also. This is as formulaic as a hit TV series, but you gotta love Jake and his friends as written by Shatner and his friends.

You might laugh about the plot idea for restoring the English monarchy, but I work with a salesman once who had a PHD in medieval history who felt the world would be better off under a single monarchy. He was serious. Votes straight dem to.

Anyway, I think Plots are like eating a food preparation for the first time. I don't mind trying it as it was intended to be eaten. A plot should be allowed to be developed, and only if it trips all over itself do I conclude that it was stupid in the context of the story being told. Of course the plot is stupid. That is why it must be stopped.

Teklab was a fast, fun read from the infamous William Shatner. Don't go into this book expecting anything great and you won't be disappointed. The pace is quick and the action furious. The characters are however, lacking in personality. Jake Cardigan is your basic hard-nosed detective type, with his Latino sidekick Gomez. They are assigned to investigate someone's murder which ends up involving them once again in the web of the Teklords. Anyway, it's a fun read if you're looking for something quick and light. Popcorn reading.