Dana Kramer-Rolls

I liked this book despite how strongly it leaned into the way that TOS tried to express diversity through national backgrounds. It flew in the face of George Takei's choice to make Sulu obsessed with the Three Musketeers specifically in order to lean out from the character's Japaneseness — but sort of made up for it by emphasizing that Sulu doesn't speak Japanese, highlighting his non-Japanese last name, etc. All this was pretty distracting to me, yet the actual plot (Chekov, Scotty and show more Sulu all get sent back in time to hopeless battles in the pasts they imagine for their ancestors, to test if they will behave with honor) worked really well. show less

This is by far one of my favorite Star Trek books. I love the iconic characters in situations that they can't just warp away from. It makes an interesting read, except for anything to do with Kirk. But I never like anything to do with Kirk so I didn't really expect to be impressed by any scene with him in it.

An unusual and interesting Star Trek adventure, contrived as it may be, in which Chekov, Scotty and Sulu are sent by a powerful alien to the past of their homelands: Sulu to feudal Japan, Scotty to 18th Century Scotland, and Chekov to WWII Russia. There the travellers are faced with life-or-death conflicts between their allegiance to their homelands, their responsibility and their survival. An unbelievable story made plausible by the writer's skills.

This fast-paced book was a bit confusing as it began in medias res, but once the storyline became clear, it was completely absorbing. It is by far the best "Star Trek" I have ever read.