River of Blood

Star Trek: Errand of Vengeance Book Three: River of Blood by Kevin Ryan
Published August 2002
Read August 14^th 2012

Previous book (The Original Series): Errand of Vengeance #2: Killing Blow
Next book (The Original Series): Gemini

Next book (Errand of...): Errand of Fury #1: Seeds of Rage

Click to purchase River of Blood from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for River of Blood and the Errand of Vengeance series!

From the back cover:

Every person has a story, and those who are lucky enough to share the voyages of Capt. James T. Kirk aboard the Starship Enterprise have stories like anyone else's. Some live, some die, but even those who serve below deck sometimes make all the difference in the universe!

The news from Starfleet Command is grim: a full-scale war against the Klingon Empire is coming, a war that the Federation may not be able to win. In anticipation of a monumental conflict, the U.S.S. Enterprise is assigned to guard a vital starbase located perilously close to Klingon space.

But even as Kirk's mission brings him into a tense confrontation with an invading Klingon battle cruiser, an equally deadly menace lurks within the ranks of his own crew: Klingon infiltrator agents, posing as Starfleet officers and sworn to destroy the enemies of the Empire - even at the cost of their own honor!

My thoughts:

The third and final book in the Errand of Vengeance series brings most of the plot threads introduced in the previous two books to a close. The story of Kell (aka "Jon Anderson") is wrapped up in a somewhat predictable fashion. Interestingly enough, I was surprised by how little his story actually featured in this novel. Most of his journey had been laid out in the previous two novels, all that's left here is for the setup to be played out to its logical conclusion.

The Klingons' war preparations mean
they need a great deal of dilithium

For the end of the miniseries, author Kevin Ryan came up with the "big event" of a Klingon siege on Starbase 42 in order to steal a mother lode of starship-grade dilithium crystals to fuel the Empire's war machine. The focus on action in this particular novel does mean that many of the character moments that made the first two books so good are pared down quite a bit; however, most of the characters introduced earlier in the series have at least one chance to shine. Of special note is Admiral Justman, whose exploits in River of Blood are particularly exceptional. Many of the situations depicted in this novel are very well-written. The action is compelling and held my attention. Like the preceeding books, River of Blood is a pretty quick read. The characters we've come to love in the Errand of Vengeance series are consistently written with Ryan's usual aplomb.

If I have one major gripe with River of Blood, it is once again in the editing of the novel. Several small errors and mistakes creep into the prose, and while they are indeed minor, they still serve to pull me out of the story. For example, on more than one occasion, the name of the starbase is incorrectly given: it changes from 42 to 43 and back again in only a few pages. It is somewhat frustrating when small details can't be kept consistent in a novel such as this.

The series as a whole:

Duty, honor, redemption, and sacrifice: all of these topics feature heavily in the Errand of Vengeance series. Author Kevin Ryan has a terrific handle on the Klingon psyche. The seeds of the gradual evolution of mainstream Klingon culture from the conniving, scheming baddies of The Original Series into the honor-bound, warrior society of The Next Generation planted in this series are a joy to read about. The so-called "Cult of Kahless" will one day come to define the Klingon way of life and aid in the eventual creation of the alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

War is a bloody, messy business, and Errand of Vengeance doesn't shy away from depicting this. Through the eyes of the Enterprise's security forces, we see the horrible effects of violence and warfare, and the very personal sacrifices that its execution entails. Much like the original Star Trek television series itself, Kevin Ryan's books do a masterful job of presenting difficult questions without clear-cut answers. What makes an enemy? Or a friend? Is being "honorable" doing one's duty? And what happens when doing what is morally right is in direct odds to following one's orders or fulfilling one's obligations? Hardly the first work of literature to tackle these age-old questions, but presenting them the way they were here was a real treat to read.

The Errand of Vengeance series was published during a time of experimentation with the Original Series line of Trek books. This "reboot" of the series examined the original five-year mission of the Enterprise from a "lower decks" perspective; rather than following the usual tactic of featuring Captain Kirk and the "principal" cast members, these books were written from the perspective of people traditionally outside the main narrative of Star Trek. I felt this device was used to great effect in this series; a fresh perspective is always welcome and worked quite well in the Star Trek universe. Unfortunately, this experiment didn't last very long. As much as I love traditional Star Trek novels, I enjoy when things are shaken up a bit.

Although this is the end of this particular miniseries, the stories of many of the characters introduced and explored in Errand of Vengeance will return in the follow-up series. Begun in 2005 with Seeds of Rage, the Errand of Fury series follows on directly from the end of River of Blood, and will continue the story up to and including the actual outbreak of war between the Federation and the Klingons in the classic Trek episode "Errand of Mercy."

Final thoughts:

A solid ending to a wonderful series. If you are a fan of action and fast-paced storytelling, you will love this book. Some of the wonderful character moments from the first two books in the series are done away with here to make room for the compelling action sequences, but if you're like me, you'll enjoy the ride as a thrilling climax to this compelling story arc. Editing problems abound, as in the first two volumes, which unfortunately lower the book's rating somewhat. The story continues in Errand of Fury!


Also by Kevin Ryan:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation #32: Requiem with Michael Jan Friedman (1994)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book One: The Edge of the Sword (2002)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book Two: Killing Blow (2002)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book One: Seeds of Rage (2005)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Two: Demands of Honor (2007)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Three: Sacrifices of War (2009)

My next read:

I am currently reading the third and final book in David Mack's exciting Cold Equations series: The Body Electric. During this hectic holiday season, I will try to find time to type out my thoughts on this latest release. Until then, happy holidays and merry Christmas to everyone out there. Stay warm!

Killing Blow

Star Trek: Errand of Vengeance Book Two: Killing Blow by Kevin Ryan
Published August 2002
Read August 10^th 2012

Previous book (The Original Series): Errand of Vengeance #1: The Edge of the Sword
Next book (The Original Series): Errand of Vengeance #3: River of Blood

Click to purchase Killing Blow from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for Killing Blow and the rest of the Errand of Vengeance series!

From the back cover:

There are more than four hundred sagas aboard the Starship Enterprise, one for each of the unique men and women serving under the command of Capt. James T. Kirk.  For years their personal adventures, their individual struggles and successes, have gone largely untold... until now.

The U.S.S. Enterprise is patrolling the Klingon border when sensors detect a massive power source on a planet supposedly populated only by a race of primitive humanoids.  Suspecting some sort of Klingon plot, Captain Kirk decides to investigate the matter personally, beaming down to the planet with Dr. McCoy and a team of security officers.

But Kirk is in more danger than he knows.  Among the landing party is Lt. Jon Anderson, a Klingon infiltrator on an undercover mission aboard the Enterprise.  Anderson does not know if the Empire is at work on the unnamed planet, but if it is, then his duty demands that Kirk be stopped--by all means necessary.

My thoughts:

A continuation of the story begun in the previous novel, The Edge of the Sword. Kell, an undercover Klingon intelligence officer posing as a Starfleet security officer aboard the Enterprise, is assigned the task of killing Captain James T. Kirk. However, as Kell witnesses first-hand the bravery and honor displayed by the crew of the Enterprise, he begins to doubt more and more the veracity of the propaganda about "Earthers" he has learned his entire life.

Following Kell on his journey was truly fascinating, as he is continually torn between his new-found respect for the humans of the Federation and his drive to fulfill his duty for the Empire. The conflict within him is very well-written by Kevin Ryan, and I found myself often empathizing with Kell. Added to his admiration of Kirk and his crew is the fact that he is beginning to fall in love with another member of the security contingent, Lieutenant Leslie Parrish. As you can imagine, this complicates Kell's mission further.

Stories from the "second string"
characters, such as Lt. West, are
continued in Killing Blow.

In addition to Kell's story, the other stories begun in The Edge of the Sword are continued to good effect. Kell's brother, Karel, gets caught up in a plot by an honorless Klingon and his bid to gain the captaincy of the Klingon cruiser D'k Tagh. Back at Starfleet Command, Lieutenant West's knowledge of the Klingons continues to come in handy as he works with Admiral Justman and Ambassador Fox to avert the coming war with the Klingon Empire. Finally, I really enjoyed Justman's remembrances of the Donatu V conflict with the Klingons. This aspect of the story gave another layer to the Admiral's character, as well as outlining the stakes of failure in maintaining peace with the Empire.

One aspect of this novel that was somewhat vexing, however, was the appearance of a few errors in the text. On a few occasions, characters are referred to by the incorrect name. In other cases, some words are incorrect, and in place words that are spelled similarly are used. I am uncertain if this issue is only with the ebook version that I read, or if these errors crop up in the dead-tree edition as well.

Final thoughts:

A generally good continuation of the Errand of Vengeance story. The flashbacks to the decades-earlier battle of Donatu V are particularly welcome, as they illustrate the dangers of losing the peace. Kell's struggle is compelling, and while we know that Kirk will not be killed, the conclusion to Kell's personal journey is a mystery that makes me very eager for the final book in the trilogy. Also somewhat fun are the homages and "shout outs" to Trek production personnel. "Lt. Okuda" comes to mind!

Also by Kevin Ryan:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation #32: Requiem with Michael Jan Friedman (1994)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book One: The Edge of the Sword (2002)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book Three: River of Blood (2002)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book One: Seeds of Rage (2005)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Two: Demands of Honor (2007)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Three: Sacrifices of War (2009)

My next read:

Next up is the final book in the Errand of Vengeance series, River of Blood.

The Edge of the Sword

Star Trek: Errand of Vengeance, Book 1 of 3: The Edge of the Sword by Kevin Ryan
Published July 2002
Read March 26^th, 2012

Previous book (The Original Series): The Last Roundup
Next book (The Original Series): Errand of Vengeance, Book 2 of 3: Killing Blow

Click to purchase The Edge of the Sword from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for The Edge of the Sword!

From the back cover:

More than four hundred men and women serve aboard the Starship Enterprise NCC-1701, "boldly going where no man has gone before." What are their stories? We know of Kirk and Spock, but what of those who live, and sometimes die, under their command? Those are the best and brightest of the Federation, men and women of exceptional courage and skill.

But not all of them can be trusted.

Lt. Jon Anderson is the newest security officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. He joins the crew at a time of mounting tension between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Previous battles have been inconclusive, but Starfleet Command fears that the Klingons are gearing up for a major offensive. The Enterprise would be on the front lines of an all-out interstellar war.

But Lieutenant Anderson has a secret: he is actually a Klingon infiltrator assigned to sabotage Starfleet from within. His first mission: kill Capt. James T. Kirk.

My Thoughts:

The first book in this trilogy by Kevin Ryan is a very interesting take on the familiar world of The Original Series's "five-year mission." Many novels are set in this era, but these novels represent an experimental departure from the traditional Trek story set during this time. Rather than a wholly-original story that takes place between the episodes we know and love, or after them, the Errand of Vengeance trilogy runs concurrently with the first season of TOS, and makes references to events that occur during those episodes. The twist is that, behind of the scenes of the episodes we know and love, another story is taking shape. You may recall that the Federation and the Klingon Empire briefly go to war near the end of the first season, in the episode "Errand of Mercy." In Errand of Vengeance, we see the slow build-up to that conflict, and how the Enterprise was on the front lines of several skirmishes and incidents related to that later exchange.

Additionally, this trilogy was part of an experiment in which the Original Series novels were "re-booted" somewhat, and stories were told from perspectives other than that of the main "heroes" such as Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The Edge of the Sword follows a number of original characters, all of whom are written very dynamically and well. Jon Anderson is one such character; as you read in the plot summary/blurb above, he is actually a Klingon operative who is undercover aboard the Enterprise, on a mission to assassinate Captain Kirk. As the novel progresses, we see the actions of the Enterprise crew and Captain Kirk through his eyes. Indoctrinated to believe that Starfleet is oppressive, deceitful, and treacherous, "Jon Anderson" (actually named Kell) learns that not everything he has been taught is true. Another character we learn about is Patrick West, a young xenoanthropologist who is assigned to work with Admiral Justman at Starfleet Command to prepare for the coming Klingon hostilities. He would later gain infamy as Colonel West of the assassination conspiracy in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Finally, another point-of-view character is Karel, brother to Klingon infiltrator Kell. Karel, who serves as a weapons officer aboard a Klingon battlecruiser, believes his brother to have been killed in a Federation attack.

Crewman Matthews - maybe more
than meets the eye?

These alternate points of view lend a fresh feeling to this story. It is fascinating to see the episodes of The Original Series from a new perspective. Although I've seen these episodes an umpteen number of times, The Edge of the Sword managed to make me see things in them I'd never thought of before. Characters we thought were one thing are revealed to be something completely different. This book was a lot of fun to read, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series, as well as the second trilogy, Errand of Fury.






Final Thoughts:

I actually read this novel a number of months ago, and only recently got around to continuing the series. It was originally introduced to me as something to fill the void that was left when the Vanguard series of novels came to an end: a smart, interesting, mature take on The Original Series era, with a point of view other than the usual Star Trek cast. It did not disappoint. Now that I am finally continuing the series, I can't wait to see what Kevin Ryan has in store for these characters.

Also by Kevin Ryan:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation #32: Requiem with Michael Jan Friedman (1994)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book Two: Killing Blow (2002)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Errand of Vengeance Book Three: River of Blood (2002)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book One: Seeds of Rage (2005)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Two: Demands of Honor (2007)
• Star Trek: Errand of Fury Book Three: Sacrifices of War (2009)

My next read:

Next up is the second book in the Errand of Vengeance series, Killing Blow.