Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Pocket Books (1990), Edition: 1st, 291 pages
Description
Doctor's Orders When Dr. McCoy grumbles once too often about the way the U.S.S. Enterprise(tm) ought to be run, Captain Kirk decides to leave the doctor in command while he oversees a rountine diplomatic mission. Kirk beams down to a strange planet nicknamed "Flyspeck" to negotiate its admission into the Federation, leaving Dr. McCoy to enjoy his new authority. However, the doctor soon learns that command is a double-edged sword when Kirk disappears without a trace. Desperately trying to locate his catain, McCoy comes under pressure from Starfleet to resolve the situation immediately. Matters go from bad to worsewhen the Klingons arrive and stake their own claim on Flyspeck Then another, more deadly power threatens them all, and suddenly Dr. McCoy and the Starship Enterprise find themselves pitted against an alien fleet in a battle they have no hope of winning.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Raven
The notable thing about Diane Duane's Star Trek novels is that they aren't just good Star Trek novels, they are good science fiction - richly populated with cheerful creative aliens, appropriately loopy plots and worldbuilding, and smart moral dilemmas, with a sort of added bonus of Kirk, Spock and
But, really, the swashbuckling in space is not what you read this sort of thing for. The characters are their usual charming selves, and the worldbuilding is absolutely excellent - the three alien races whom the crew are surveying are beautifully drawn and engaging, the politicking expertly done. It's gentle, it's very sweet, it leaves you with a a gentle fondness for the characters, which is exactly how things should be.
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McCoy. I especially like how she writes McCoy, and he gets a starring role in this novel - after complaining about Kirk one too many times, he gets accidentially left in command of a routine survey mission. And then Kirk goes missing, the Klingons attack and that's before the real problems start.But, really, the swashbuckling in space is not what you read this sort of thing for. The characters are their usual charming selves, and the worldbuilding is absolutely excellent - the three alien races whom the crew are surveying are beautifully drawn and engaging, the politicking expertly done. It's gentle, it's very sweet, it leaves you with a a gentle fondness for the characters, which is exactly how things should be.
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LibraryThing member JudithProctor
Definitely one of the better Star Trek books. A bit plus for me is that the scientists actually sound like real scientists and do research that makes sense. Even linguistics is treated seriously. The result is to make the planetary survey far more interesting and believable.
A must-read for McCoy
A must-read for McCoy
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fans - I love the relationship of grudging mutual respect that develops between him and the Klingon commander. Show Less
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Through a series of more-or-less unconnected events - a mission to study new alien life, a conversation with the Captain, and an unexpected encounter with a hostile ship - Doctor McCoy is in command of the Enterprise when they come under attack.
Generally I don't read tv tie-in books, but Diane
Certainly recommended to people who enjoy Star Trek, especially if you happen to be a Diane Duane fan as well.
Generally I don't read tv tie-in books, but Diane
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Duane is one of my favorite authors, so I decided to give it a try - and I'm glad I did. This is not only an enjoyably Star Trek story; it's also simply a good book. The aliens are fantastic, as they generally are in Duane's books, and the characterization of the Enterprise crew seems spot-on. I did skim through some of the battle scene toward the end, but that was due to a lack of interest, not a lack of quality.Certainly recommended to people who enjoy Star Trek, especially if you happen to be a Diane Duane fan as well.
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LibraryThing member lycomayflower
This Star Trek book is a showcase for McCoy. While the Enterprise is orbiting a planet the crew is surveying and all is meant to be quiet and dull, Kirk, on a whim, puts McCoy in command for the afternoon. And then Kirk disappears and Klingons show up (natch) and McCoy can't be relieved of command
There's a lot of world-building and culture-exploring while members of the crew are doing the planet survey, and those sections of the book are the most interesting. We also get a fairly nifty outsider's view of commanding a starship while McCoy is in command, and some of the interiority from McCoy is nice. But at about the two-thirds point, the whole thing just becomes a Big Space Battle, and while it's a well-done BSB, it pales in comparison to the rest of the book. Guardedly recommended to TOS fans for the good McCoy stuff (and some good Kirk stuff, too), but if "Evasive manuevers! Lock phasers! More power to the shields! Blardy blardy blardy" wears thin for you, the last 80 pages or so will drag.
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by someone who knows what he's doing (read: Spock) because of StarFleet regs blah blah blah. And then McCoy turns on the badass and performs better in command than anyone expected. There's a lot of world-building and culture-exploring while members of the crew are doing the planet survey, and those sections of the book are the most interesting. We also get a fairly nifty outsider's view of commanding a starship while McCoy is in command, and some of the interiority from McCoy is nice. But at about the two-thirds point, the whole thing just becomes a Big Space Battle, and while it's a well-done BSB, it pales in comparison to the rest of the book. Guardedly recommended to TOS fans for the good McCoy stuff (and some good Kirk stuff, too), but if "Evasive manuevers! Lock phasers! More power to the shields! Blardy blardy blardy" wears thin for you, the last 80 pages or so will drag.
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LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
I'm no longer pretending that these Star Trek novels keep popping up in my library by accident, or for a dare, now! I love 'em, and this is currently my favourite (listen to me, I've only read four!) Bones McCoy is my second favourite TOS character, and Duane gets his droll Southern humour and
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friendship with Jim/Spock spot on. I was even amused by the alien life forms which Kirk et al liaise with ('greet, greet, greet'). Basically, Bones has to take command of the Enterprise while Kirk goes AWOL yet again - no surprises, but the final battle scenes were well paced and the captain's return suitably impressive for this fangirl. I can never get enough of the banter between the three lead officers, but I love McCoy's different approach to commanding a starship too. Show Less
LibraryThing member JohnFair
This is another of Diane Duane's Original Series Star Trek books, this time featuring Bones McCoy when he is given command of the Enterprise when Kirk goes down to the planet the Enterprise was surveying. It should have been a quiet time for the Doctor's first stint in the Centre Chair, but that
Duane manages to keep the various strands of the story running fairly well; McCoy, Kirk and the Klingon patrol all get a decent showing, and she still manages to include her trademark humourous twists.
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would have been a boring story. First off, they lose the Captain, though the locals insist he is safe and still there, then a Klingon cruiser turns up and loses a patrol that the commander blames on the Enterprise. Finally the real baddies turn up in the shape of an Orion pirate ship.Duane manages to keep the various strands of the story running fairly well; McCoy, Kirk and the Klingon patrol all get a decent showing, and she still manages to include her trademark humourous twists.
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LibraryThing member ameliadefield
This book was just the riot of laughs it promised to be. I will read it again and again.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1990
Physical description
291 p.; 6.74 inches
ISBN
0671661892 / 9780671661892