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Star Trek (1987), Mass Market Paperback, 371 pages
Description
Years ago, Lt. Uhura befriended a diplomat from Eeiauo, the land of graceful, cat-like beings. The two women exchanged songs and promised never to reveal their secret. Now the U.S.S. Enterprise(tm) is orbiting Eeiauo in a desperate race to save the inhabitants before a deadly plague destroys them. Uhura's secret songs may hold the key to a cure -- but the clues are veiled in layers of mystery. The plague is killing humans, threatening other planets -- and Kirk must crack the code before the Starship Enterprise succumbs!
User reviews
LibraryThing member barbgarcia1987
This is one of my favorite Star Trek books. I have read it and re-read it so many times my copy is getting a bit dog eared. A while back I read a short article on Janet Kagan. In it, if I am remembering correctly, she said that she had every intention of writing a sequel to this story, but that
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Paramount would not let her because it would not allow major characters to appear in more than one book if they were not from the series. I wish she had been allowed to continue Tail-Kinker's story. Show Less
LibraryThing member MerryMary
Love this one! Uhura finds the home planet of a plague-ridden felinoid species on the strength of a song. The away team then must prove themselves to the inhabitants before they can discover the cure to the plague. Uhura comes into her own in this novel (always a plus), and the Eaoians are
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wonderful. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zathras86
This ranks among my top five Star Trek books. Kagan gives us a mix of drama, cultural food-for-thought, and quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. Her writing wears a little thin at points, especially when she tries too hard to emphasize the pathos of a given situation, but since it's otherwise very
The story captures everything I love about TOS - the idealist belief that human beings can be learn to be open-minded, to rejoice in differences, to work together patiently despite those differences in order to solve their problems. Sure, it's occasionally a little cheesy, but in a good way.
It's really fun to explore the idea of a first contact in such great detail. The Sivaoans are a very well-developed race; Kagan put quite a bit of thought into creating their world and their culture, and it paid off.
I disagree with some other reviewers about the supposed "Mary Sue" - that's an easy dismissal of a character who was actually quite interesting, important to the storyline, and just plain fun to read about. While she's clearly the kind of larger-than-life character that you secretly wish you could be, you could say that about almost any TOS character as well, and she isn't over-the-top in the absurd way that the term usually indicates. While she was definitely a main character in the story, I didn't judge it to be at the expense of the other characters.
In short, a very fun romp with an interesting new alien culture, with a few moments that will make you think.
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good and the plot is excellent I'm inclined to cut her a little slack.The story captures everything I love about TOS - the idealist belief that human beings can be learn to be open-minded, to rejoice in differences, to work together patiently despite those differences in order to solve their problems. Sure, it's occasionally a little cheesy, but in a good way.
It's really fun to explore the idea of a first contact in such great detail. The Sivaoans are a very well-developed race; Kagan put quite a bit of thought into creating their world and their culture, and it paid off.
I disagree with some other reviewers about the supposed "Mary Sue" - that's an easy dismissal of a character who was actually quite interesting, important to the storyline, and just plain fun to read about. While she's clearly the kind of larger-than-life character that you secretly wish you could be, you could say that about almost any TOS character as well, and she isn't over-the-top in the absurd way that the term usually indicates. While she was definitely a main character in the story, I didn't judge it to be at the expense of the other characters.
In short, a very fun romp with an interesting new alien culture, with a few moments that will make you think.
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is a Star Trek pro work that is the favorite of many a fan in that it finally allowed Uhura to shine and to actually be an expert in language and other forms of communication (including using her talent for music) not a telephone operator. Perhaps even more important, this has the "feel" of
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the series at its best, with the Federation officers trying to understand a culture on its own terms. I loved one of the original characters, Tail-Kinker, and the sentient felines of the novel. A treat. Show Less
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
Star Trek novelisations: resistance is futile. I was under the misapprehension that Uhura's Song is one of the best Original Series spin-offs, but I must have downloaded the wrong copy. Janet Kagan might have been a perfectly accomplished author, but her lack of (a) understanding and (b) interest
And oh my word, never I have encountered a Mary Sue like Evan Wilson, the stand-in doctor (I thought that was what M'Benga was for)/Manic Pixie Dream Girl who takes over the whole damn book, and might just probably maybe perhaps be based on the author herself. Evan can do everything - she's tough, unconventional, defiant, brave, and of course, everybody loves her (including Spock). Not even being a short arse can hold her back. And because the main Star Trek characters are so completely out of whack - Kirk walks around shouting 'People!' like some demented tour guide, and both Scotty and Chekov are reduced to exaggerated dialects - then the annoying author insert is even harder to ignore. Oh, and for all the hype, poor Uhura is shoved to the sidelines in her own novel, too.
The plot is insane, about two different species of cat people, one of whom has contracted some form of childhood illness that is killing them off, along with the human medics - including Bones and Christine Chapel - who have beamed down to treat the mysterious illness. I love cats, I really do, but the middle block of this story nearly turned me over to the dog side.
I really have no clue what other reviewers find to like in this dross. Star Trek novelisations are hardly classic fiction, but the Prime Directive of published fan fiction should always be an author who knows and loves the fandom. I'm sure Janet Kagan did her best - and I liked Uhura commenting on Spock's friendship with Kirk, and the suggestion, slightly out of character from Spock himself, that he and the Captain share a mental bond - but there just weren't enough familiar traits or interactions from the crew to maintain my interest.
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in the show is painfully obvious. She does have one or two flashes of comprehension, which I think say more about quality of the series than her research, but mostly the plot is one loooooong fantasy ramble through Planet Cat People, with Kirk, Spock, Chekov and - oh yes! - Uhura along for the rights. I mean 'ride'. And oh my word, never I have encountered a Mary Sue like Evan Wilson, the stand-in doctor (I thought that was what M'Benga was for)/Manic Pixie Dream Girl who takes over the whole damn book, and might just probably maybe perhaps be based on the author herself. Evan can do everything - she's tough, unconventional, defiant, brave, and of course, everybody loves her (including Spock). Not even being a short arse can hold her back. And because the main Star Trek characters are so completely out of whack - Kirk walks around shouting 'People!' like some demented tour guide, and both Scotty and Chekov are reduced to exaggerated dialects - then the annoying author insert is even harder to ignore. Oh, and for all the hype, poor Uhura is shoved to the sidelines in her own novel, too.
The plot is insane, about two different species of cat people, one of whom has contracted some form of childhood illness that is killing them off, along with the human medics - including Bones and Christine Chapel - who have beamed down to treat the mysterious illness. I love cats, I really do, but the middle block of this story nearly turned me over to the dog side.
I really have no clue what other reviewers find to like in this dross. Star Trek novelisations are hardly classic fiction, but the Prime Directive of published fan fiction should always be an author who knows and loves the fandom. I'm sure Janet Kagan did her best - and I liked Uhura commenting on Spock's friendship with Kirk, and the suggestion, slightly out of character from Spock himself, that he and the Captain share a mental bond - but there just weren't enough familiar traits or interactions from the crew to maintain my interest.
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LibraryThing member wookiemonster
I read this book once before, 25 years ago, when I was a sophomore in high school. I remembered it as a decent story, and with it, one girl in my history class who saw the cover when the book fell out of my book bag as I was pulling out my notebook and pen, and classmate laughing at the cover.
Reading it through this time, though, with adult eyes... I'm impressed with the detailed world building contained therein. I understand much more of the science presented in the text. I appreciate the felinoid alien race a little more with having had so many other cats in my life since I read this last. The sheer detail of the plot, the subplots, character developments, the mission feel of the story... Masterful. With over thirty years of Trek lore having been added since this book was originally written, it holds up excellently.
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Reading it through this time, though, with adult eyes... I'm impressed with the detailed world building contained therein. I understand much more of the science presented in the text. I appreciate the felinoid alien race a little more with having had so many other cats in my life since I read this last. The sheer detail of the plot, the subplots, character developments, the mission feel of the story... Masterful. With over thirty years of Trek lore having been added since this book was originally written, it holds up excellently.
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LibraryThing member JohnFair
When a plague affecting the planet of Eeiauo does the unthinkable and crosses the species barrier to affect the human component of the Federation, all the stops are pulled out to find a cure. It's Lieutenant Uhura who finds a clue to a possible cure hidden in a forbidden song. Will Kirk and the
Like most of these early Star Trek books, 'Uhurah's Song' treats the crew of the Enterprise (especially Kirk) as more considerate than I get a feel for from the TV series but they are really cool all the same.
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others be able to decode the clues and find the lost home world of the Eeiauoans. But even with Spock's help in identifying the almost fabled Sivaou, the crew of Enterprise find the inhabitants even more stubborn than their cousins on Eeiauo - deep shame being a block to a race that has perfect racial memory! Like most of these early Star Trek books, 'Uhurah's Song' treats the crew of the Enterprise (especially Kirk) as more considerate than I get a feel for from the TV series but they are really cool all the same.
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LibraryThing member gabarito
The author does a great job capturing the voice of the characters, but some of the major plot points were pretty weak. A fun space adventure, but I doubt I will read it again. Real nice to see Uhura being a central figure of a novel.
LibraryThing member LisCarey
I'll admit upfront this is a nostalgic favorite. I think it's also very good.
Early in her career, Lt. Uhura met a young diplomat from the world of Eeiauo. The two women bonded over music, singing, and the songs of their respective peoples and cultures. The graceful, catlike Sunfall of Ennian even
Years later, Uhura is now communications officer on the USS Enterprise, which is on a mission of mercy to Eeiauo, where a terrible plague has broken out. The infected individuals become weak, their fur (or hair, as they make the unhappy discovery it also affects humans), become stiff and achy, fall into comas, and die. One of those dying is Uhura's old friend, Sunfall.
McCoy and others are on the surface working directly with Eeiauoan medical personnel. Chapel is among the humans who have fallen ill.
Spock works out that the Eeiauoans can't be native to their current world. Uhura has reached the same conclusion from reexamining the songs Sunfall taught her. Together they set to work figuring out where their homeworld is. The Eeiauoans can't, or rather won't, help them, because they left their homeworld for what the consider deeply shameful reasons. They don't even want it being said that there was a homeworld.
McCoy and others on the planet look for a successful treatment or cure. Kirk and the Enterprise, with Spock and Uhura still working the information they have to locate the homeworld, head off to find it.
We get alternating sections following McCoy and his colleagues, and, when they find the planet, Kirk, Uhura, Spock, Chekov, the interim Medical Director Evan Wilson, and Sulu beam down to the planet to make contact. What follows is a wonderful tale of worldbuilding, a very interesting alien culture, and the unraveling of a very knotty problem.
The natives on the Eeiauoans' homeworld, the Savaoans, are also deeply ashamed of the events that led to the exile of the Eeiauoans. They are not going to talk, even to save lives, until the landing party figures out the reason they won't talk. It's complex and fascinating and frustrating.
The ending is quite satisfying, and then there's a sort of epilogue, that you may like or loathe.
I bought this book.
Early in her career, Lt. Uhura met a young diplomat from the world of Eeiauo. The two women bonded over music, singing, and the songs of their respective peoples and cultures. The graceful, catlike Sunfall of Ennian even
Show More
shares songs with Uhura, and the Old Tongue they are sung in, that are not to shared except with other bards, Years later, Uhura is now communications officer on the USS Enterprise, which is on a mission of mercy to Eeiauo, where a terrible plague has broken out. The infected individuals become weak, their fur (or hair, as they make the unhappy discovery it also affects humans), become stiff and achy, fall into comas, and die. One of those dying is Uhura's old friend, Sunfall.
McCoy and others are on the surface working directly with Eeiauoan medical personnel. Chapel is among the humans who have fallen ill.
Spock works out that the Eeiauoans can't be native to their current world. Uhura has reached the same conclusion from reexamining the songs Sunfall taught her. Together they set to work figuring out where their homeworld is. The Eeiauoans can't, or rather won't, help them, because they left their homeworld for what the consider deeply shameful reasons. They don't even want it being said that there was a homeworld.
McCoy and others on the planet look for a successful treatment or cure. Kirk and the Enterprise, with Spock and Uhura still working the information they have to locate the homeworld, head off to find it.
We get alternating sections following McCoy and his colleagues, and, when they find the planet, Kirk, Uhura, Spock, Chekov, the interim Medical Director Evan Wilson, and Sulu beam down to the planet to make contact. What follows is a wonderful tale of worldbuilding, a very interesting alien culture, and the unraveling of a very knotty problem.
The natives on the Eeiauoans' homeworld, the Savaoans, are also deeply ashamed of the events that led to the exile of the Eeiauoans. They are not going to talk, even to save lives, until the landing party figures out the reason they won't talk. It's complex and fascinating and frustrating.
The ending is quite satisfying, and then there's a sort of epilogue, that you may like or loathe.
I bought this book.
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LibraryThing member jmvilches
Not without it's issues (Mary Sue character), but I still hold a place in my heart for it.
Language
Original publication date
1985-01 (eng.)
1989 (deu.)
Physical description
371 p.; 6.74 inches
ISBN
0671652273 / 9780671652272
Local notes
ST:TOS, 21
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Kagan ST |