Rating:  Summary: More like 3 1/2 stars... Review: Having been a life-long Trek fan, and after reading all of Shatner's previous novels I knew I had to have 'Dark Victory'. The idea of exploring the 'Mirror Universe' in more detail is facinating and it definitely makes for entertaining reading. 'Spectre' started off the 'mirror' saga pretty good (and better than 'Avenger' I might add) and it kinda left you with a cliff- hanger at the end. Well I'll warn you right now, if you are hooked on this series, the ending of 'Dark Victory' leaves you dangling even MORE SO. I WOULD have given this a 4 star review if not for one small complaint I have been developing over the past few novels in regards to Shatner's treatment of Picard. Either he is at odd's with Picard the character or Patrick Stewart the actor because he is increasingly treating him as inept. Maybe this is a small complaint, but it is growing with each of the past 3 of his books. Also, I don't pretend to know all of the advances in technology in the 24th century, but to convince me that Kirk is more physically able in his 60's than say Riker is...well it's ludicrous--but that is exactly how Shatner is portraying Kirk in his books...and in 'Dark Victory' we've got TWO Kirks. 'D.V.' picks up IMMEDIATELY where 'Spectre' ended, and completely changes course as to WHY the gigantic transporter was built...is it to transport the Enterprise-E to the mirror universe as stated in 'Spectre' or is there a more sinister plot brewing here hatched by the diabolical Emperor Tiberius, the most evil human in ANY recorded history. Shatner hints towards something else, but we never get to find out what that is because the story ends just as it was really beginning to take flight. All in all Shatner has written some VERY good Trek stories, above average I would have to say--especially the really well done, 'The Return'. However Shatner harnassed that magic in his first two Trek novels, he seems to be waning a bit here. Will I pick up a copy of 'Preserver' and finish the series? Of COURSE (although if he drags this series on past this book I'll be a bit upset). But will I grab it in hardback? Probabably not. The story moves like a locomotive with no brakes and aside from my personal little complaints, I really have enjoyed ALL of Shatners visits to the Trek Universe.
Rating:  Summary: Two Kirks, One Future. Review: The fate of the entire Federation rests on Jim, as he battles to outwit his Mirror universe counterpart, Tiberius, who wants to rule both the Federation and the Mirror universe at the same time. Reteamed with Spock, Bones, and Scotty. The battle will not only change Jim's life forever, he will also fight to discover what his true destiney is.
Rating:  Summary: I Wish They Had Told Me... Review: Overall I enjoyed the book, but there is nothing on the cover or the anywhere else to let you know that it is one in a series. I was really ticked-off. I expected a conclusion to the various and interesting dilemas and storylines, and as the other reviewers have stated, the book has no ending! That is fine if the publisher makes it clear to the book buyers up-front (book 2 of a trilogy) or (book 9 of a series of 12) or whatever, but there was no indication at all that this book would not stand on its own, and I was very disappointed and even angry that I was not warned ahead of time. I don't mind series or trilogies, but I want to be told up front that is what I am buying. Two other observations 1) I knew as soon as they were married that Tachini (sp) was a goner (Kirk can never be married. The times he was in the original series, his wife and/or beloved died that very episode); and 2) If Tiberius had that many children, Kirk must have them also. Hmmm, makes you wonder.
Rating:  Summary: shanter goes warp Review: i think that the book is a great book to reed i the plot i like the story i ythink this is another best os william shanter books theay are all good
Rating:  Summary: There is nothing new here. Review: If you skip this book, you won't miss it. It ends just as it begins, a life and death struggle between Kirk and Anti-Kirk. I am not at all impressed with the conspiracy theories and hidden agendas that this book is peppered with. A secret organization in Starfeet, a hollographic crew on a star ship, and the dark yet sensitive side of Garak are just a few of the things that disappointed me. It is really beginning to amaze me just how many people from the original series have cheated death to survive in this era of Star Fleet. The Reeves duo may have given Shatner some suggestions on the writing of this book, but they sure didn't want their names on the cover and I don't blame them.
Rating:  Summary: All ahead full! Review: I have read all of William Shatner's Star Trek books, I liked this one very much. This book is about the evil Tiberius trying to control both the mirror universe and our own. When Kirk's wife becomes infected with a Vulcan toxin, he searches for Tiberius and the cure. The end is a little confusing, but readers will get the idea. In the book, Kirk does not act like the adventurous Kirk we all know. All he seems to care about is saving his wife's life, and not about his friends or the Federation. Overall, this was a good book and I can't wait to read Preserver!
Rating:  Summary: Undecided Review: I read the trilogy that came before this book, and I've also read Star Trek: Spectre, which came before it, and I think this is the worst of all of them. Basically I like it because it is a Star Trek story, and although there are a lot of good moments, it has serious problems. The main character, Kirk obviously, does not act like himself at all. He puts many other people in danger just for the life of his wife, Teilani. The relationship is somewhat hard to believe, because when they first met he was retiring and she was at most 20. Plus he goes against Starfleet, and most annoyingly, Picard. The part I hated most about this book was that Spock and Kirk did not show that much trust in each other. And the end was simply not an ending. It was not a cliffanger, either. The book just ended all of a sudden, in what seemed like it could have been the middle of the chapter. This is not to say the whole book was bad. There were parts that I liked, and I can't wait for Preserver to come out, which I hope will clear up the storyline.
Rating:  Summary: Not the best Shatner book Review: I've read the other books about Kirk by William Shatner. They were evry good. But this one lacks some of the good things. First of all. There is very little action. The books tries introduce the character Tiberius. The next generations carachters are mentioned a few times and they dont play a great role in the book. The mystery about the hidden starfleet organization is interesting. (Some resemblence to section 31) It is also good to see Garak in this book. But what i dont understand Garak helps a woman for favor. This is highly unlikely like Garak... But nevertheless he is good and fun to read..(or listen) One thing about Shatner: His reading is fine, he tries to imitate the sounds of the known characters. But i didn't like it. It just doesnt sound like Picard. Finally, this is a average book and only a introduction for the next book. The preserver.
Rating:  Summary: Is this a good book? Yes and no. Review: There is a great deal positive to be said about this book; unfortunately, there is also a great deal to be said that is negative, as well. Shatner is a fine writer, technically, and his plot moves well, has plenty of action and drama, switches scenes well and keeps multiple plotlines in balance. Of course, he has a fine grasp of the characters (is this a shock?) particularly the original series characters, and he does a fine job of portraying those characters. And the scope of his plot is certainly impressive enough. But as to the negative: I realize that this is intended as one book of a continuing series, that the plotline continues from one book to the next. But I object to buying a book that has no ending, to getting merely one installment of "The Perils Of Kirk", which ends at a cliffhanger with "continued next book" implied, if not actually printed, at the end. I thought this book's predecessor, "Spectre", was bad in that regard, but this book's ending is even less satisfying than "Spectre"'s was. At least "Spectre" ended on a cliffhanger, which while I disapprove, is at least a traditional "ending" for a continued action story. This book didn't even have that; it felt as though somebody just took a knife and chopped off an ending about three chapters early. When writing a series, it really is preferable that each book has a main plot of its own that is resolved at the end, even if the major plot-arc of the series continues. The end of this book resolved nothing. Further, I have a major problem with the entire concept of the major sub-plot to this book. In the original "Star Trek" series episode that this series works off of, the Enterprise crew accidentally cross over to a "mirror" universe which is eerily similar to their own, except that each individual there, as well as the equivalent of Star Fleet itself, is nasty, vicious, and brutal. One of the key themes to that episode, stated at the end by Mr. Spock, when explaining why it was not difficult for him, in command in Kirk's absence, to recognise the mirror Kirk, Scotty, McCoy, and Uhura as duplicates when the party from our side of the mirror had been able to "pass" on the other side, was that "it was far easier for you, as civilized people, to act like barbarians, than it was for them, as barbarians, to act like civilized people." Or words to that effect. Yet in this series, duplicates from the mirror universe have been successfully infiltrating Starfleet; not only are these people raised as barbarians, but people raised as a subjugated race, slaves who are elevated to a position of minor power if it is seen that they have a "useful" duplicate in our universe, who are bullied and bribed into working for their oppressors by passing in this universe, and (presumably) given training in how to behave like their duplicates. But does anybody really believe that not just one or two, but MANY people in that situation, would have the acting ability to successfully pull off that switch? AND not immediately turn double-agent the moment they had a chance over here? And that anybody with the acting ability to pull off the switch wouldn't be clever enough to MAKE that chance at some point? The whole concept is preposterous. People who've had such radically different life experiences, no matter HOW similar their DNA, can NOT simply step into each other's lives, and have nobody notice. All in all, a fun read, but seriously flawed.
Rating:  Summary: Great stuff; Shatner really entertains as a writer Review: Like his previous Star Trek novels, William Shatner continues his plain, good storytelling in "Dark Victory" -- part of the "Mirror Universe" trilogy. The story is interesting and keeps moving fairly rapidly. There is even a mystery "murder" of sorts. Of course, the centerpiece of the whole thing is Kirk confronting his own dark side in confronting his mirror universe counterpart, and the ending definitely leaves you wanting more! The only negative thing I would say about this book and Shatner's writing in general is that he tends to go for the absolute, most melodramatic storyline possible. He also (no surprise here) tends to focus on the Kirk character to the detriment of other character developement. I should expect this, of course, in a book with Kirk as the central character and written by the man who played him for years, but it still would have been nice to develop other characters (e.g. Picard, Geordi, etc.) and their mirror counterparts as well. Nevertheless, I like the way he blends characters for all the series and makes it coherent and I will definitely be looking for part 3!
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