Star Trek Discovery: Desperate Hours by David Mack

Title: Star Trek Discovery: Desperate Hours
Author: David Mack

Read by:  Susan Eisenberg

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hour and 59 minutes
Source: Simon & Schuster Audio Digital Review Copy – Thank-you!

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I am happy that there is a new TV series.  I’ve started watching it with the family and I like it so far (we are a few episodes in).  I was excited to review Star Trek Discovery – a novel set one year before the beginning of the new series. It gives some good character background on the crew of the Shenzhou and the main character, first officer Michael Burnum.

In Star Trek Discovery: Desperate Hours the Shenzhou with newly minted first officer Michael Burnum is sent to a colony world after a mysterious alien craft attacks.  The craft was disturbed during routine drilling and may have been under the sea for millions of years.  Arriving at the planet, the Shenzhou is faced with the hard choice of being able to destroy the alien craft, but also destroying the colony.  They are further pushed into that hard place when the Enterprise shows up helmed by Captain Christopher Pike to make sure the Shenzhou destroys the alien craft at all costs.  Will the Shenzhou and her crew be able to figure out how to disable the craft while also saving the inhabitants of the planet?

The story was interesting in Star Trek Discovery: Desperate Hours, but what I really liked was the character development.  In particular I liked Michael Burnum and Saru’s relationship and how it developed as well as both of their relationships to Captain Philippa Georgiou.  It helped to make the first episodes of the show even more relatable.  I also loved how the Enterprise with Captain Christopher Pike and Science Officer Spock enter the story and became main characters.  What a nice call back to original series fans! Spock and Burnum’s relationship is interesting and I hope to learn more about it.

I’ll admit that I did think the story was a bit slow in the middle when Burnum and Spock were on an endless quest to figure out the alien craft’s maze.  I felt like that section went on way too long.  I’m also still confused in this book as well as the show on the fact that the Shenzhou seems much more technologically advanced then the newer Enterprise.  There was a brief description in the book trying to justify why the Enterprise doesn’t have a ready room, but it rang false to me.

Susan Eisenberg was an able narrator and I really enjoyed listened to this on my daily commute.

Overall, Star Trek Discovery:  Desperate Hours is a great way to learn more about the characters of the new show and opens up some interesting ideas about Burnum and Spock’s relationship that I would love to see played out on screen.

Star Trek Prey: The Hall of Heroes (Book 3) by John Jackson Miller

A sci-fi adventure that includes a tale of vengeance one-hundred years in the making, Star Trek Prey:  The Hall of Heroes is an epic original tale that includes many favorite Star Trek characters and is the conclusion of a three book trilogy.

The Unsung are threatening the Klingon Empire and Chancellor Martok is having a hard time keeping control as the violence continues.  The Federation including Admiral Riker, Captain Picard, Commander Worf, and Tuvok work together to solve the mystery of the Unsung.

I really enjoyed this trilogy.  All three books were action packed with great character build up and interactions.  The Hall of Heroes was a fantastic conclusion with plenty of adventure.  Author John Jackson Miller really knows the classic characters and serves them well in the story while also creating new interesting characters.  I also loved that the humor typical of Star Trek has been kept into place.  It’s nice to have a light moment between action sequences. The ending of the story left it open for more adventures – I would certainly love more myself!

Robert Petkoff was a top notch narrator for this audiobook trilogy.  His voices were perfect for the characters and he did a great job of getting into character for the large cast. This was a great trilogy to listen to via audiobook.  I would love to listen to more audiobooks from this author / narrator combination.

Overall Star Trek Prey:  Hall of Heroes (Book 3) is a perfect and satisfying conclusion to the Star Trek Prey trilogy full of adventure, suspense, humor, and great characters.    Petkoff is a great character voice actor and he narrates this trilogy perfectly.  I highly recommend this audiobook and this entire trilogy!

How are you celebrating 50 years of Star Trek?  Besides listening to this riveting audiobook trilogy, I’ve been watching the Original Series, Next Generation, and Voyager episodes with my family.  We have all been excited about the new Star Trek Discovery series, but were sad to just find out its rated MA so we can’t watch it as a family.

Star Trek Prey: The Jackal’s Trick (Book 2) by John Jackson Miller

A sci-fi adventure that includes a tale of vengeance one-hundred years in the making, Star Trek Prey is an epic original tale that includes many favorite Star Trek characters.  The Jackal’s Trick is the second book in this series, and it starts right where Book 1, Hell’s Heart left off. 

To be honest, the story is quite detailed and I find it hard to do it justice, especially as it is in the second book in the series.  In general, a young lieutenant of Kruge, (Klingon Kirk killed at the end of Star Trek III) Korgh, spent 100 years plotting his revenge and how to take over the house of Kruge.  Using rogue Klingons who were kicked out of the empire, now called the Unsung, Korgh was able to mastermind his takeover.  But there are other players involved including Worf who is on a mission to avenge the assassination of Kahless, and Admiral Riker and crew who are trying to protect all participants in a peace conference.  Will the Unsung continue to follow their leader?  Will the tricksters involved get their due or host the biggest con in the galaxy?

The Jackal’s Trick was an action packed book.  I’ll admit I thought the storyline was all tied up at one point and thought, how could there be a third novel, only to have the storyline really explode on me and surprise me in the direction it turned.  I loved books that can continually surprise me!  I also loved that so many characters of Star Trek are involved including Tuvok from Voyager.  I love all of the different threads of this story.  I’m actually almost finished with Book 3 and I can’t wait to see how it ends!

Robert Petkoff is the perfect narrator for this audiobook. He does amazing voice acting for all of the different characters that makes this a very enjoyable audiobook to listen to – especially for a lifelong fan of Star Trek like myself.

Overall Star Trek Prey:  The Jackal’s Trick (Book 2) is an enthralling adventure story that continues the journey started in Hell’s Heart.  It perfectly captures the Star Trek world and characters with a fantastic voice narrator.  I highly recommend this audiobook!

Star Trek Prey: Hell’s Heart (Book 1) by John Jackson Miller

Title: Star Trek Prey:  Hell’s Heart (Book 1)
Author: John Jackson Miller

Read by: Robert Petkoff

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 30 minutes
Source: Simon & Schuster Audio Digital Review Copy – Thank-you!

                               

A sci-fi adventure that includes a tale of vengeance one-hundred years in the making, Star Trek Prey:  Hell’s Heart is an epic original tale that includes many favorite Star Trek characters.

Klingon Commander Kruge’s death after his battle with Captain James T. Kirk on the Genesis planet started a power struggle amongst his many heirs in the Klingon Empire.  The heirs of his family fought against his loyal commanders who were overcome in battle.  Korgh, his young almost adopted heir and military colleague, saw his chance for power ripped away when he is unable to gain access to the Phantom Wing, a squadron of very advanced Birds of Prey with the power to fire while clocked that he had worked on himself.

One hundred years later, the USS Enterprise with Captain Jean-Luc Picard is escorting the heirs of Kruge to a celebration of their final battle.  Along the way, First Officer Worf discovers that the “battle” may not have been all that it seems to be 100-years ago.  The celebration finds itself a battle field with Worf kidnapped as a result.  Who is behind the kidnapping and slaughter?  Will Worf be able to return to the Enterprise?

Robert Petkoff is a top notch narrator for this audiobook.  His voices were perfect for the characters – he really sounded like Worf!  He also did a good British accent for Captain Picard.  This was a great story to listen to via audiobook.  As a lifelong fan of Star Trek, I thought this story was a riveting addition to the Star Trek cannon.  I also realized my mind added in music and sound effects – is that weird? 

The story was very engaging as Miller captured the characters perfectly while also having a lot of great action and elements of surprise.  This makes for a perfect audiobook to keep one entertained on your daily commute.  I was crushed when it ended as I wanted to know more!  Luckily, I am listening to Book #2 now.

Overall Star Trek Prey:  Hell’s Heart (Book 1) is an enthralling adventure story that perfectly captures the Star Trek world and characters.  Petkoff is a fantastic narrator that is a great character voice actor.  I highly recommend this audiobook!

Star Trek Into Darkness Novelization by Alan Dean Foster

Title: Star Trek Into Darkness
Author: Alan Dean Foster
Read by: Alice Eve
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Length: Approximately 8.5 hours (7 CDs)
Source: Simon & Shuster Review Copy – Thanks!

My husband and I sadly don’t get out to many movies these days, but we did get to see Star Trek Into Darkness this summer, and we both greatly enjoyed it.  I was more than a little excited to also get to review the audio CD novelization of the movie by Simon & Shuster.  Listening to the audiobook allowed me to fill in some of the gaps that I hadn’t realized when I was watching the movie.  The novelization was by Alan Dean Foster.  I have enjoyed his books in the past, especially in the Star Wars universe.

The story has a riveting beginning with Kirk flying in the face of the Prime Directive in order to save a civilization and his friend, Mr. Spock.  After Spock files a report with the entire story told, Kirk is demoted to first officer.  When a new threat to Star Fleet looms and disaster occurs, only Kirk, Spock, and crew can save the day.

I enjoyed the story and thought the movie and audiobook were very well put together.  I loved the nods that were made to lifelong Star Trek fans, but also loved the new direction that the story took.  I didn’t like the mass destruction of San Francisco at the end.  I feel that movies like to show how much cool special effects they can do, while the audience is horrified on the loss of life that it would entail.

Alice Eve (Dr. Carol Marcus) was the narrator of this audiobook.  She did a fair job.  I enjoyed listening to her, except for when she was doing the voices for Admiral Marcus or Khan.  She had a very strange cadence with those characters and the result was like scratching nails across a chalkboard for me.

Overall, I found Star Trek Into Darkness to be a great complement to the movie and a very enjoyable audiobook for my trips into work this summer.