Its Hour Come Round

Star Trek
Mere Anarchy, Book Six
Its Hour Come Round by Margaret Wander Bonanno
First Published April 2007
Re-published in the omnibus collection Mere Anarchy in March 2009
Read December 16^th 2015

Previous book (Mere Anarchy): The Blood-Dimmed Tide

Original e-book cover

Trade Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle E-book: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Its Hour Come Round and the rest of the Mere Anarchy series!

From the back cover:

Captain James T. Kirk is dead, lost during the launch of the U.S.S. Enterprise-B. His former shipmates are not the only ones who mourn his passing: Raya elMora and the people of Mestiko are stunned to learn that the man who has played such a pivotal role in their lives over the past three decades is now gone.

But Kirk’s passing comes as Mestiko is on the threshold of a new era, as they have come from near-destruction to contemplating membership in the Federation. The surviving crew of the Starship Enterprise gather together at this strife-torn world one last time as its future hangs in the balance...

My thoughts:

Here it is at last: the final entry in the Mere Anarchy series, celebrating the 40th anniversary of Star Trek back in 2006 and 2007. Over on the podcast, Literary Treks, co-host Matthew Rushing and I have been talking about each of the books over the past few months. Now, we are finally at the end.

And what a way to end this series! Veteran Trek novelist Margaret Wander Bonanno has crafted a beautiful and bittersweet finale to Mere Anarchy. The year is 2293, and Captain Kirk has recently been lost, presumed killed during the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B. As the former crew of the Enterprise mourns the loss of their intrepid captain, Mestiko debates whether or not to join the United Federation of Planets.

The loss of James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Generations weighs heavily on the events of this story.

In Star Trek fiction, we haven't gotten many stories dealing with the aftermath of the loss of Kirk in Generations. While reading Its Hour Come Round, it occurred to me what a huge impact this loss would have on the galaxy. We see the effect it has on Mestiko, but there would be hundreds of worlds that Kirk influenced deeply during his Starfleet career. How would they react to his supposed death?

We also see the effect the Kirk's death has on his former crew, most notably Dr. McCoy. His depression following the loss of his friend was very poignant, and rang very true to the character. The author is able to draw an interesting parallel between the experience of the Payav people of Mestiko and the experiences that Kirk's crew are going through. Both have suffered a tremendous loss, but by the end of their respective stories, both are on the path to recovery. The future is bright for Mestiko, and with time, things will be brighter for Kirk's former crew as well.

Chancellor Azetbur leads the Klingon delegation to Mestiko in Its Hour Come Round.

The idea of shared hardships bringing people together is an interesting theme that appears in Its Hour Come Round. Most notably, the Klingons are used to good effect in this story, having themselves recently gone through a world-changing cataclysm. The destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis (in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) has given the Klingons their own experience with extreme hardship, and we find them actually learning from the Payav in this story. It was fascinating to see a different take on the Klingons in the time period immediately following the signing of the Khitomer Accords. Under Chancellor Azetbur, the Klingons and the Federation are on the road to a very interesting partnership indeed.

An interesting aspect of the end of the story is that we never actually learn whether or not Mestiko joins the Federation. I have seen a few reviews online that show a great deal of annoyance with this seeming oversight. However, I have a different view. The whole point of the story of Mestiko is not whether or not they will join the Federation, but whether or not they will recover and be "alright" in the long run. With this story, we know that they will. It doesn't matter if they ultimately join the Federation; Mestiko will prosper regardless.

Final thoughts:

A very fitting and excellent ending to the Mere Anarchy series. The story is at times contemplative and reflective, but necessarily so given the events that immediately precede it. Margaret Wander Bonanno has crafted a very touching story to finish off this series, one that definitely celebrates what was great about the original Star Trek.

The Mere Anarchy series as a whole:

This has been a very interesting book series with some definite highs and lows. While the storytelling was at times a little uneven, what is abundantly clear is that each of these stories was a labor of love for the author telling it. A fun and generally exciting examination of the entire range of settings and time periods that were experienced by the original Star Trek crew, Mere Anarchy was a fitting celebration of the 40th anniversary of Star Trek, and I'm glad to have read it now on the cusp of the 50th.

More about Its Hour Come Round:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 133: Brother From Another Mother

Also by Margaret Wander Bonanno:

• Star Trek: Burning Dreams (2006)
• Star Trek: Unspoken Truth (2010)

Star Trek: Mere Anarchy:

• Things Fall Apart by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
• The Centre Cannot Hold by Mike W. Barr
• Shadows of the Indignant by Dave Galanter
• The Darkness Drops Again by Christopher L. Bennett
• The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein
• Its Hour Come Round by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

The final book in the Q Continuum trilogy: Q-Strike by Greg Cox!

The New Star Trek Beyond Trailer: My Thoughts

The new teaser trailer for Star Trek Beyond, the third instalment in the current crop of Trek films coming next summer, was recently revealed to the world. Unfortunately, I've recently seen a lot of negatively online surrounding the new trailer. I felt compelled to record a few of my thoughts. I didn't hate the trailer, but also realize that it isn't exactly marketed towards me, either.

Here's a quick video I recorded. It includes the trailer, followed by my thoughts.

Many of my thoughts seem to be echoed by writer/star Simon Pegg, who was interviewed by The Nerdist recently. A lot of his comments set my mind at ease with regards to this film! As with all things, only time will tell.

Literary Treks 132: It Smells Like Burning!

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Soul Key by Olivia Woods

When the Deep Space Nine relaunch began in 2001, readers were treated to a great series of stories that laid the groundwork for the shared continuity of the 24th century novels. Unfortunately, the ongoing story of DS9 under Captain Kira came to an unexpected halt with The Soul Key, the final novel before the narrative was jumped forward to catch up with the rest of the shared universe.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther talk about The Soul Key. We discuss the end, a convoluted plot, Ghemor and her plot, characters we know and love, forgotten characters, comparisons, the cover, and our ratings.

In the news segment, we talk about Ongoing #52 and Star Trek/Green Lantern #6.

Literary Treks 132: It Smells Like Burning
Deep Space Nine: The Soul Key by Olivia Woods

Previous episode: Literary Treks 131: Moron Saves the Day

Next episode: Literary Treks 133: Brother From Another Mother

The Blood-Dimmed Tide

Star Trek
Mere Anarchy, Book Five
The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein
First Published March 2007
Re-published in the omnibus collection Mere Anarchy in March 2009
Read November 21^st 2015

Previous book (Mere Anarchy): The Darkness Drops Again
Next book (Mere Anarchy): Its Hour Come Round

Original e-book cover

Trade Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle E-book: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for The Blood-Dimmed Tide and the rest of the Mere Anarchy series!

From the back cover:

Twenty-five years after the disaster, Mestiko's recovery is stagnating amid social unrest. A lunar colony designed for scientific research might give the people hope--until a local terrorist group called the Torye attacks the colony and steals an experimental subspace weapon. The Starship Enterprise is sent to find the Torye and retrieve the weapon.

But even as Captain Kirk and his crew – Saavik, Scotty, Chekov, Uhura, and McCoy--follow the trail, Captain Spock goes on a daring undercover mission to Klingon space that will have dire consequences for the future of Mestiko--as well as the Federation...

My thoughts:

The Blood-Dimmed Tide, the penultimate installment of Mere Anarchy, takes place between the films Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Like most of the other stories in this series, the novella makes good use of the time period in which it is set. Also, it has to be said: Howard Weinstein's entry in this series is most certainly the best-written of the novellas up to this point.

Admiral Morrow (retired) accompanies Spock on his peace mission to the Klingon Empire.

Weinstein uses a lot of elements the Trek political stage in the lead-up to The Undiscovered Country. We see the initiation of Spock's attempt to negotiate peace with the Klingon Empire, for example. At the outset of the story, he and retired admiral Morrow (see: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) journey into the Klingon Empire to begin negotiations. Meanwhile, on Mestiko, a group of radicals has captured a doomsday weapon. Hoping to make Mestiko into a power to be reckoned with in the quadrant, these radicals make moves to ally themselves with the Klingons.

Kang makes a welcome return in The Blood-Dimmed Tide.

The story sees the return of antagonists from the past. Kang, originally from the TOS episode "Day of the Dove," returns in this story. One of the most memorable Klingon characters, Kang's appearance in The Blood-Dimmed Tide is a nice surprise. Another Klingon, however, is less welcome: the infamous Klaa from The Final Frontier, whose whole motivation in that movie is that Kirk is so amazing that to defeat him would be really really awesome. Klaa is written in this story as the buffoon he is, and while his shenanigans do drive the plot, he never comes across as any really great threat.

Less welcome is Klaa, the "80s hair band" style of Klingon from Star Trek V.

The Klingon Empire serves as an allegory for failed states here on earth, such as the Soviet Union or North Korea. Their fearsome "battle station," featured in the plot of this story, is in fact in a dilapidated state and only good for show. Under a veneer of impressive military displays, the Empire is falling apart. This reminded me a lot of the Soviet Union shortly before its collapse. Additionally, it was reminiscent of the huge skyscraper hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. While the exterior looks impressive, it has stood as an empty shell for years now, with no signs of being completed in the near future. The Klingon Empire is on the road to collapse, and the destruction of Praxis in the near future will hasten that fall.

Final thoughts:

My favorite story in the Mere Anarchy series (so far). It was fun to see this particular era of Star Trek, with the action happening against the backdrop of a failing Klingon Empire and with the crew aboard the Enterprise-A, along with Saavik, who remains one of my favorite Trek characters. This story brings Mestiko's situation into the realm of the wider galactic arena, with dire consequences for both Mestiko and the stellar neighborhood.

Weinstein captures this era perfectly, and The Blood-Dimmed Tide is not to be missed.

More about The Blood-Dimmed Tide:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 130: Mestiko's Tomorrowland

Star Trek: Mere Anarchy:

• Things Fall Apart by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
• The Centre Cannot Hold by Mike W. Barr
• Shadows of the Indignant by Dave Galanter
• The Darkness Drops Again by Christopher L. Bennett
• The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein
• Its Hour Come Round by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

At long last, the final installment in the Mere Anarchy mini-series: Its Hour Come Round by veteran Trek writer Margaret Wander Bonanno!

Literary Treks 131: Moron Saves the Day

DC Comics' Who Killed Captain Kirk? by Peter David

Comics have been an integral part of Star Trek, from the first Gold Key Comics in 1967 to Marvel Comics which picked up the license in 1979 and ran until 1982. After that, DC Comics continued the adventures of the Enterprise with writers like Diane Duane and Peter David.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther talk about Peter David's Who Killed Captain Kirk?. We discuss old comic series, Aspiring to Angels, taking a turn, confusion, a Kirk question, an interesting conversation, a wedding, Dante's Inferno, You're Dead, Jim!, another shift, Finnegan, ratings, and our final thoughts.

Literary Treks 131: Moron Saves the Day
Star Trek Classics #5: Who Killed Captain Kirk?

Previous episode: Literary Treks 130: Mestiko's Tomorrowland

Next episode: Literary Treks 132: It Smells Like Burning

Child of Two Worlds

Star Trek: The Original Series
Child of Two Worlds by Greg Cox
Release date: November 24^th 2015
Read December 3^rd 2015

Previous book (The Original Series): Crisis of Consciousness
Next book (The Original Series): Miasma

MMPB: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Child of Two Worlds!

From the back cover:

An all-new Star Trek novel from New York Times bestselling author Greg Cox, taking place in the blockbuster Original Series era!

The year is 2255, not long after the events of the Original Series episode “The Cage.” A young Spock is science officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, when an outbreak of deadly Rigelian fever threatens the crew. Reviewing the Starfleet medical database, Dr. Phillip Boyce comes up with a highly experimental and untested new treatment that might save the crew. Just one problem: it requires a rare mineral substance, ryetalyn, which is not easily obtained…except on a remote alien colony near the Klingon border. But borders are somewhat blurry in this part of galaxy. Pike will need to tread carefully in order to avoid provoking an armed conflict with the Klingons—or starting an all-out war.

My thoughts:

The Star Trek novels are a fantastic way to explore time periods that we don't get to see a lot of in the course of "canon" Trek. One such period is set before Kirk's five-year mission, while Captain Christopher Pike commanded the U.S.S. Enterprise. We've been offered glimpses in the past, most notably through the two-part episode "The Menagerie," which re-used footage from the aborted pilot "The Cage" to present an all-new adventure. Over the years, we have gotten a few novels featuring this captain and crew, including Once Burned by Margaret Wander Bonnano and The Rift by Peter David. It is always a treat for me when we get more adventures featuring Captain Pike, as I have always wondered what Star Trek would have been like had that first pilot been purchased by NBC.

The action in Child of Two Worlds takes place on the Enterprise as commanded by Christopher Pike in the first TOS pilot, "The Cage."

The story itself is a fascinating tale about a young woman who finds herself torn between two cultures. A Cyprian, who at a young age was captured by the Klingons, has been taken from her adoptive Klingon family by her biological sister and recovered by the Enterprise. Now, the planet of her birth is demanding her return and reunion with her biological family. Complicating matters is the fact that the Enterprise crew has been infected with Rigellian fever, and the Cyprians control the supply of ryetalyn, a compound that would cure the fatal disease (see: "Requiem for Methuselah"). They, of course, are refusing to turn it over until and unless Captain Pike returns Merata to them.

Child of Two Worlds features Spock at an earlier point in his life, learning to live and work with humans aboard the Enterprise.

Greg Cox does a wonderful job in pairing Spock and Merata. Both of them are the titular "child of two worlds," and Spock is uniquely sympathetic to Merata's plight. The exploration of their two natures means that the reader learns more about Spock through what Merata is going through. It is an interesting pairing that highlights a great deal about Spock's character. Additionally, Spock is written very well by Mr. Cox. At this point in his life, Spock is still uncertain of his place in either Vulcan or human society. His younger nature comes across very well in the pages of Child of Two Worlds.

In some ways, this story is reminiscent of the TNG episode "Suddenly Human," in which a young human boy was captured by the Talarians and raised in their culture. His grandmother, an elderly Starfleet admiral, desperately wants him returned. In the case of Child of Two Worlds, the role of the grandmother is replaced by an entire planet, and their desire to see Merata returned coupled with a tense political situation lends a very interesting angle to the story.

Merata's situation is reminiscent of Jono in the TNG episode "Suddenly Human."

Finally, Greg Cox very effectively places this story firmly in the time period by using terminology that was used in "The Cage." "Lasers" instead of phasers, for instance, or "hyperdrive" instead of "warp drive." Number One is used quite effectively as well, and she gets to show off her formidable leadership skills while leading the landing party on the surface of Cypria. Cox is even able to account for the seeming anachronism of hardcopy printouts on the bridge of the Enterprise, chalking it up to a charming eccentricity on the part of Captain Pike.

A character I've always been fascinated with is Majel Barrett's "Number One," who is thankfully used very effectively in Child of Two Worlds.

Final thoughts:

An excellent addition to Spock's backstory, and small tidbits such as the origin of anesthezine intruder control systems make this novel a really fun read. The central dilemma is handled well, and the conclusion is a satisfying one. Child of Two Worlds makes very good use of continuity, something for which Greg Cox is well known. I would really enjoy seeing more stories set in this era with further exploration of Pike and his crew.

More about Child of Two Worlds:

• TrekBBS Review and Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 134: Are We on the Millennium Falcon?

Also by Greg Cox:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation #47: The Q Continuum, Book 1 of 3: Q-Space (1998)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #48: The Q Continuum, Book 2 of 3: Q-Zone (1998)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #49: The Q Continuum, Book 3 of 3: Q-Strike (1998)
• Star Trek: The Rings of Time (2012)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Weight of Worlds (2013)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: No Time Like the Past (2014)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Foul Deeds Will Rise (2014)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Miasma (2016)
• Star Trek: Legacies, Book 1 of 3: Captain to Captain (2016)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Antares Maelstrom (2019)

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Star Trek: Mere Anarchy, book five: The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein!

Literary Treks 130: Mestiko's Tomorrowland

Star Trek: Mere Anarchy
The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein

The Mere Anarchy series has given fans a taste of what was happening in every period of the Original Series timeline as well as the important events in each of the characters lives. The penultimate book in the series is no exception.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther talk about The Blood-Dimmed Tide. We discuss Mestiko becoming a focal point, the oversight issue, bureaucracy, setting up the milieu of The Undiscovered Country, the Klingon Empire as a metaphor, Kirk's prejudice, frustration, and our ratings.

In the news segment, we talk about the new covers and blurbs for Elusive Salvation and Live by the Code, the German Prometheus trilogy, and Doug Drexler's upcoming covers for the Prey trilogy.

Literary Treks 130: Mestiko's Tomorrowland
Mere Anarchy: The Blood-Dimmed Tide

Previous episode: Literary Treks 129: SPECTRE Octopus

Next episode: Literary Treks 131: Moron Saves the Day