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5.0 out of 5 stars
Even Younger Than Captain Kirk, 29 Jan 2003
I recently read the book that described the first mission ever commanded by the Captain that will always come to mind first, Captain James T. Kirk, and his starship The Enterprise. Even though I have been a fan of the various television series and the movies that have followed, the book I mention was the first Star Trek novel I had ever read. The author was familiar to me as she had written for the Star Wars series, and the decision to try Star Trek in book form was a rewarding one.Several generations later an even younger Captain would take the helm of his first starship, a captain who would also one day command a newer Enterprise, but before he did, his first command would be The Stargazer. Captain Jean Luc Picard may be even more familiar to people who came to Star Trek during its renaissance as opposed to the original series in the 1960's, or the almost continuous availability of the original in syndication. Both captains were very young and both came to their commands through tragedy of varying degrees at very young ages, which made their ability to command all the more of a trial. Their first missions could not have been more different, the former involving one of the legendary, "First Contacts", and this one of Captain Picard's involving the theme of, "everything is not what it seems", a task riddled with deceptions, and a crew that is far from ideal, and intentionally structured that way. Familiar themes like The Prime Directive are here, as well as a very young captain who would go on to become a legend just like his predecessor in the first Enterprise. There are a variety of life-forms that are new, and one that requires a containment suit to function that is as interesting as any being to appear in the television series or the films. I should note I read this in an E-Book format, a method of accessing books that I have used previously when that was the only form that was offered. I now have a LCD screen that is much easier on the eyes for extended reading, so going through this 275 page book in the Microsoft E-Reader format was no more difficult than a traditional book. The one obvious constraint was that I remain in front of the screen. E-Books can be an excellent value, and with the new formats of hardware appearing it will no longer be required that you sit at your computer, simply taking the screen with you is all that will be needed. There is also a PDA version that can be downloaded for these books, and of course laptops go wherever cords or batteries allow. I have already ordered the next in this series, and again in E-Book form. I think they are a great way to economically enjoy books, and I will happily trade mobility of the written word for not having to venture outside in the frigid weather, or wait for UPS to bring the traditional format to my door. I am not prepared to make the switch without exception. It is not yet possible, and even if it were I still want the traditional book the vast majority of the time. But E-Books have a place, and if you have yet to try one, I suggest that you do
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by Michael Jan Friedman
by Michael Jan Friedman
by Michael Jan Friedman
by Michael Jan Friedman
by Michael Jan Friedman
