The Prometheus Design

All the Star Trek books by Marshak and Culbreath I've read have been idea books--they take some philosophical concept and tease it out by putting the Triumvirate through their paces. The result is usually far from the Star Trek adventure formula, and, I think, better for it. I first read their The Price of the Phoenix at about thirteen or so and the exploration of power negotiation and the concept of the alpha male in that book absolutely boggled my poor adolescent brain. (I loved it.) The Prometheus Design also takes the issue of power (particularly what happens when one James Kirk is forced to confront individuals and situations which compel him to yield) as one of its ideas, though the bigger issues here are the seeming coupling of show more aggression and high-order thinking; the detriments of categorizing beings into "self" and "other"; and the tendency of intelligent life to use for their own purposes the lives of those they perceive to be "lesser." Recommended for those who like or can accept a Star Trek novel which does not strictly conform to the atmosphere of canon.

(An oddity of this book I've never seen in any other Star Trek novel: all of the references to canon are footnoted. This struck me as particularly odd since most of the references were to firmly established canon (i.e. the show or the film--there was only one film at the time the book was published) rather than ST novels, and they should have been quite easily recognizable to the kind of audience one would expect to read an ST novel. And furthermore, the references could all have been taken at face value; knowledge of the canonical event itself would not have been necessary to understand the reference in this story. I'd love to know what the authorial thinking/intent behind these footnotes was.) show less

There’s some interesting philosophical questions in this book but the moment to moment plot is weak. If you like it when Star Trek gets philosophical you’ll probably like this but if you are looking for a science fiction adventure this is not it.

I really enjoy this duo's Star Trek novels for a number of reasons. They are excellent at reading and expanding upon the characters from the show. Their new characters are strong, unique and memorable. They are expert at using the wider bounds of the Star Trek universe to create ethical dilemmas possible nowhere in our universe. And they share with me a highly developed notion of the loyalty, valor and integrity of the main three characters. This book explores the ultimate worthiness of the human race, in light of its heritage as a savage ape. It introduces a powerful new character, the Vulcan Savaj who demotes Kirk to First Officer and promotes Spock to Captain, holding that humans are inherently inferior to Vulcans as leaders. What show more ensues is a major test of Kirk's willingness to accept and obey orders, and Spock's to finally command the frail human whom he so often followed into the jaws of death. An excellent philosophical quandry, resolved in inimitable fashion by this accomplished, if preachy writing duo. show less

I genuinely think I might have a mental block when it comes to Marshak & Culbreath's writing. It just seems like gibberish to me. Surely I'm not the only one? I tapped out, again. I'm gonna have to come back and really grit my teeth.

Well... it's not the worst Trek novel I've ever read (that would Marshak and Culbreath's Triangle), but it still has a whole bunch of the tedious, vaguely new-age-y philosophizing that seems to be a hallmark of their work. Rather tiresome.

F/SF