Dave Galanter

I really enjoyed Galanter's previous classic Trek outing, Shadows of the Indignant in Mere Anarchy, so I was really looking forward to his full-length novel, Troublesome Minds. And it did not disappoint. The Enterprise rescues a crashing ship and as a result involves itself in a dilemma that affects not only a couple planets, but possibly the entire Federation, and definitely Spock's own mental solidity. Though Spock is on the cover and is the crux of the novel in most ways, it's Kirk's show more book; like the television show, almost everything is filtered through his perspective. It's fortunate, then, that Galanter gets both Kirk and Spock; there's not a problem at all with their depictions here. These are the characters we watched every week on tv in the 1960s. The guest characters are well-written, too, and the plot is nicely complicated, with no easily discernible resolution-- and no easy answers once it has resolved. A cracking, enjoyable Star Trek novel. show less

if i were involved in the production of star trek: discovery supplementary content i’m not sure it would have occurred to me to do a novel about hugh culber’s time in the mycelial network, and it definitely wouldn’t have occurred to me to set it largely aboard an alternate discovery with a captain michael burnham who assumed command when one gabriel lorca did in the prime universe. a captain michael burnham who formed a chosen family that’s explicitly called a family towards the end show more of the book with her first officer saru and their mutual surrogate mother, fleet captain phillipa georgiou.

i mean, literally all of those last few would’ve occurred to me as things to include in a fanfic au, but i wasn’t expecting to see them in commercially-released fiction. i know it didn’t seem to have much utility beyond this one story, but i want a whole series of books (or at least fanfics) set in this universe. pretty please?

anyway, in this novel alternate discovery finds itself trapped in the mycelial network and faced with a ticking clock, tons of technical problems, and eventually a first contact. also there’s an extremely sweet gay romance that bends the laws of physics to its will. that do anything for you? it certainly did something for me. show less

I've read a few Star Trek novels now, so if nothing else, I know what I like - and Dave Galanter's novel ticks every last box. Gripping story - finished in an afternoon, because I couldn't find a natural place to stop reading - intriguing aliens, and skilful characterisation of the Enterprise crew. This could almost be a 'lost' episode of the original series.

Captain Kirk intervenes to save a life, and finds himself and his crew - especially Spock - caught in the middle of two warring show more factions, the Isitri and the Odib. The Isitri are telepathic, but fear the presence among their kind of a 'troublesome mind', one with stronger mental powers who enslaves the will of others. Berlis, an outcast saved from death by Kirk, is one such 'troublesome mind' - and the Isitri want him dead, to prevent war with the Odib. When Spock mind-melds with Berlis, Kirk is forced to choose between the following the Prime Directive and saving his friend's life (which is no choice at all with Kirk).

First, the concept of sign language is deftly portrayed by the Isitri, who are mute and mostly deaf. Spock is able to speak telepathically with them, but also quickly picks up their signalling. Second, I love how most of the 'action' takes place aboard the Enterprise, keeping the story character-based. But mainly, I am in raptures over how perfectly Kirk, Spock, Bones and the others - yes, Uhura even gets to sit in the big chair - are instantly recognisable from the show. I could 'hear' their voices, and there is no authorial intervention to balance the roles, like in some novels I have read. In fact, the nods and winks to the original show earn Galanter bonus points, in my view - references to The Galileo Seven and The Tholian Web, plus Kirk getting his hands dirty in engineering and Bones pestering Kirk on the bridge. Perfection. show less

Dave Galanter takes pride of place in my command chair of TOS novels - Troublesome Minds wins bonus points for bringing back the horta, but Crisis of Consciousness is another enjoyable outing for the original crew. Spock does his mind meld thing again, this time with another alien race that are distant relations of Vulcans, and Kirk gets the Enterprise battered, again, while hunting a common foe. Bones is irascible during a crisis, Uhura showcases her brains away from the bridge, and Scotty show more bonds with Carolyn Palamas, the blonde from Who Mourns From Adonais? (and I didn't throw up because he stops short of flirting). I just love how Galanter knows the original series characters so well that he doesn't have to exclude/punish Kirk in order to focus on Spock or Uhura - everyone gets to play a role. His own creations are just as believable (love the space pirates that Kirk runs into).

The story is also cleverly written, drawing on the ethics of mind melding and Spock's decision to undertake Kolinahr, but also putting Kirk through his paces during an attack on the ship. The peaceful Maabas and the 'multividual' Kinisians face war over possession of an archaic WMD, with the Federation caught in the middle. Spock is held hostage, and Kirk must figure out how to get his first officer back and avert the destruction of the Enterprise and perhaps the galaxy at the same time. Another action-filled, authentic and absorbing 'extra episode' from one of my favourite TOS authors. show less