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By BWilliams / 14:44, 23 October 2006 / Reviews - Books
Synopsis: Twelve all-new tales from the final frontier!
Review: It's hard to believe that STAR TREK is now 40 years old. That's an entire generation! I personally have had a lifelong connection with TREK, having been born only two weeks after the premiere of the series. And in that time, both the franchise and I have seen so much change and growth to it that it's absolutely staggering and yet awe-inspiring at the same time. But I'm not here to talk about my 40 years on this Earth, but rather to celebrate TREK's 40th. What better way to mark it than with the review of Pocket Books' latest anthology, CONSTELLATIONS?
For this new collection, editor extraordinaire Marco Palmieri has assembled thirteen of Pocket Books' most celebrated writers in the TREK stable to give fans a further glimpse into the adventures of the starship Enterprise and the lives of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and the ship's crew. This time around, it's more than just the slam-bang action that we've come to expect from STAR TREK. Rather, each writer has infused his or her own approach to Gene Roddenberry's original philosophy that made the original series so popular with the fans.
In "First, Do No Harm," Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore provide a glimpse of the Prime Directive gone awry, as McCoy must decide between duty to Starfleet and aiding a Federation scientist who's already done enough damage to their most sacred oath. Next up is "The Landing Party" from Robert Greenberger. Set early in the first season of the five-year mission, Sulu must come to grips with the anguish that comes with losing a valued away-team member under his command. Howard Weinstein gives us "Official Record", a look at how Chekov deals with the pressures of adhering to the truth as opposed to buckling under a superior officer's intimidation. In Jeff Bond's "Fracture", we have a fast-paced encounter between the Enterprise and the Tholians, an encounter that leaves no easy resolutions, only questions to answer.
In "Chaotic Response", Stuart Moore provides us with a new insight into Mr. Spock and his take on conflict resolution. Christopher L. Bennett follows up with "As Others See Us", a unique and extremely intriguing look at how a first-contact situation can go awry if handled wrong. "See No Evil", from Jill Sherwin, gives us a long-overdue look at Uhura's contributions to the Enterprise and even an interesting glimpse into her relationship with Scotty. Next up is "The Leader" from Dave Galanter, a tale of a landing party, a colony in danger, and a vengeful Klingon, all with its own unique twists and turns. William Leisner turns in "Ambition", eschewing the traditional Kirk-Spock center of the tale to focus on how the remainder of the crew handles a conflict situation.
In "Devices and Desires", Kevin Lauderdale pokes around Starfleet's attic and discovers that what's in the past doesn't necessarily have to be old and musty. Next up is a lighthearted tale from Jeffrey Lang, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name", a romp featuring McCoy, Scotty, a couple of drunken Klingons, some Denebian slime devils, and some good old-fashioned barroom antics. (Cue up the "Cheers" theme!) Finally, we have what is my personal favorite of the anthology, "Make-Believe" from Allyn Gibson, which gives us an extremely unique and original approach to a STAR TREK tale. Trust me when I say you have to simply read this one and let it absorb you completely.
But that's not all. Noted science fiction scribe David Gerrold, author of "The Trouble With Tribbles", provides us with a foreword that takes a long look at how far we've come over the last 40 years. Hard to believe that everything he described occurred during this generation, and yet I can truly say that I've lived through it all. We also have an excerpt from "Anything But Alone", part of Tokyopop's recent TREK manga SHINSEI SHINSEI (previously reviewed).
While we will never have the benefit of a fourth or fifth season of the Original Series, many writers over the years have taken it upon themselves to fill in many of those details through various novels, comic books, short stories, fan films, and anthologies. CONSTELLATIONS gives us a glimpse of what that fourth season could have been like had NBC taken the chance. Take a bow, everyone, this is an excellent anthology that deserves to be read and re-read! Here's to the next 40 years - I wonder what will happen from here?
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