V. E. Mitchell (1954–2017)

Hm. One or two stars. All sorts of action, but nothing actually happened. The scenes with Miles and with Keiko were not only sexist but racist. The plot was meh. The mystery lame. The aliens weren't themselves... and tbh nobody else was either. The more I think about it, the more I can't even give it the second star.

But mostly the series has been readable, even enjoyable, so as long as I own them, I'll keep reading!

This book deals with some of the Orientalist weirdness Keiko has in her TNG appearances, saying she comes from a planet settled by ultraconservative Japanese nationalists (and, presumably, has chosen to leave that life behind...but still is shaped by it.) It makes me think about writing fanfic in which there's a MURRICA planet. I found the crew to be pleasingly in character. And again, actual extreme differences in viewpoint and culture are dealt with. A solid and very enjoyable outing.

There is something appealingly basic about Victoria Mitchell's second contribution to the Pocket Books series of Star Trek novels. In it the Enterprise takes a team of archaeologists to a deserted planet. There they uncover evidence of an even older civilization than the one they were sent to investigate, one that left behind mysterious "windows" that are still active and were subsequently buried by their successors. An accident sends Kirk, Chekov, and one of the archaeologists into the show more window, where they vanish . . . and the Enterprise suddenly detects alien life on a previously uninhabited world.

What struck me about Mitchell's novel as I was reading it was how well her book captures the essential structure of an episode of an original series: the Enterprise explores something, encounters a problem that jeopardizes some of the crew, and then the rest of the crew works together to unravel the mystery and save the crew members in jeopardy. For this comfortingly familiar structure Mitchell provides a story that would have been impossible with the budget and effects of the series, with a refreshingly original alien species unlike any that had been envisioned beforehand. And even if the the the character traits and skill sets of her new characters are a bit too convenient for the story, overall the combination makes for one of the better Original Series novels, one that synthesizes well the best elements of the show and the possibilities of the written page. show less

A "routine" diplomatic mission turns deadly as an unknown assailant attempts to subvert the process through any means possible, including murder. Meanwhile, Kirk is dealing with an old flame, and trying to juggle the three wives he has just been presented with.

V.E. Mitchell is a long-time Star Trek fan, and her Trek pro-novel “Enemy Unseen” shows that in the accurate characterizations of the original series’ regulars. Spock is written out early in the setup (which is disturbing to show more those of us who count him as a favorite), but his absence makes room for Mitchell’s original characters to take center stage and carry much of the action. (Unlike fan fiction, which merrily bumps off, marries off, or gender-switches TOS characters at random, the pro novels are bound firmly to returning all the beloved crew members to their original starting points by the last paragraph. Not surprisingly, this restriction can severely limit the dramatic action.)

The base plot is pretty straightforward – Enterprise is carrying a Federation diplomat as well as a party from an alien planetary system, to try to resolve a conflict over settlement rights on a disputed planet. But someone on the ship is determined to keep the accord from happening, even if it involves murder.

Mitchell gets props for creating an interesting alien culture, so driven by their particular codes of honor and “the harmony of all” that negotiations with them require a particularly deft hand, and the project looks pretty shaky, even before dead bodies start turning up.

Unfortunately, she’s also given Kirk's old flame a major role in the proceedings. Setting aside for the moment the fact that Kirk seems to have more old flames than a Zippo dump, Cecilia Simons remains pretty much a cardboard character – the sensuous, seductive Evil Bitch Queen, out to bend Kirk (and every other male she encounters) to her will. Because the reader is privy to information the novel’s characters lack, she emerges early-on as a prime suspect for the interference. The extra wives issue is never given more than a passing glance and is resolved as casually as it was introduced.

Eventually, the spy’s identity is figured out, largely through the skills of the original crew characters, and the discovery carries within it an answer to the settlement conflict. It also, however, reveals a gaping plot hole, which really can’t be discussed without violating the Reviewer’s Code, which essentially says “you can’t tell readers The Butler Did It when writing the review”.

Overall, “Enemy Unseen” is better than most of the pro-novels, but certainly has some flaws. show less