The Eugenics Wars is my first Star Trek novel and I came away pleased with it. Cox does a fine job of elaborating upon what was only alluded to in "Space Seed" and "The Wrath of Khan." While it is not amazing by any means, as a historian of biology, I appreciated the focus of this science fiction novel on biology rather than physics. Because the story of the novel (there is a Kirk-based TOS frame) begins in the 1970s, Cox is able to tie-in the burgeoning field of molecular biology to explain how the Chrysalis Project genetically engineered the supermen (of which Khan is one). As far as I could tell, the use of the science, although incredibly simplistic, was reasonable and well-explained (unlike infamous Treknobabble). Unfortunately, biological science fiction disappears as it becomes historical science fiction in the 1980s (when Khan is a teenager).. But because the action is well-written with a quick pace along with some twists and turns (and some cheese), I continued reading. Furthermore, unlike George Lucas's portrayal of Anakin's turn to evil,* or Nolan's Harvey Dent -> Two-Face, though, the path of Cox's Khan is much more reasonable (with respect to Khan's POV); his change makes sense. Although the biology has been lost, I look forward to Volume 2, in which the actual Eugenics Wars is the focus.

Note: Because I have yet to see the relevant episode, I cannot comment upon Cox's essential tie-in with the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth," which features the human show more alien Gary Seven and his sidekick Roberta Lincoln, both of whom are the protagonists of this novel.

* The reason I mention Anakin is because this book came out in 2001, the same year as The Phantom Menace, and the interaction between Gary Seven and Khan is eerily similar to the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan. show less