Rating: 
Summary: Gary Seven and Khan in One book!!!!!!
Review: Now I would normally pass up on a trek book due to the sheer crapness that has become of trek fiction, but I saw Greg Cox's name attached to this one, and didn't think that he would disappoint. Thankfully I was right!!!! Cox has a flair with the trek characteres that has been sorely lacking recently. He also has a flair of using favorite characters, and putting them into new circumstances. Now with Eugenics wars which was foreshadowed in his Trek book Assignment:Eternity. Cox reunites the crew of the Classic trek with favorite guest stars Khan Singh, and Gary Seven. The book is action packed, and seems to deliver a message regarding our own endeavors into genetics, and Cox appears in top form. This is one for veteran fan, and newcomer alike. Hope his next book is just as good, and enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Trek Nation Loves Eugenics Wars!
Review: Greg Cox's delightful 'The Eugenics Wars' explains why Earth history as detailed on Star Trek seems different from Earth history as we lived through it from the late 1960s to the end of the last millennium. It's not because the Trek writers guessed wrong, but because most of us have no idea of the influence Gary Seven and his colleagues exerted on global affairs. This hilarious rewriting of current events, which covers most of the period from Watergate to the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in Reykjavik, follows the secret agent from 'Assignment: Earth,' his associate Roberta Lincoln and his mysterious feline Isis as they try to protect humanity from its own self-destructive impulses. In this case, the efforts of Seven, Lincoln and Isis center on a genetic engineering project called Chrysalis, which will ultimately produce Khan Noonien Singh's crew from 'Space Seed' (and later 'The Wrath of Khan'). However, one doesn't need to have seen the episode or the film to enjoy this novel -- in fact, one doesn't even really need to be a Star Trek fan, though numerous references to the series and its characters keep regular viewers entertained. There's enough mystery, intrigue and humor to make this book successful with any reader who enjoys stylized spy novel drama. The Eugenics Wars begins with a framing story in which Kirk and his crew must negotiate with a colony that practices genetic engineering on humans. This volatile situation inspires the captain to do some research into historical records for the late 20th century, when a group of genetically engineered super-humans attempted a global coup and were secretly launched into space when their efforts failed. The real story opens with Roberta Lincoln in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, wishing she could be more like Emma Peel as she attempts to elude East German psychopaths during a Cold War raid on the Russian Embassy. Her boss, Gary Seven, has recently discovered evidence of a massive genetic engineering project that has recruited the best scientists of a generation, and although Roberta resents his extraterrestrial superiors' meddling in human affairs, she understands enough about the potential hazards to help infiltrate Project Chrysalis. Chrysalis' attempts to improve the human genome take place in a secret complex beneath India's Great Thar Desert, under the guidance of a brilliant scientist named Sarina Kaur. Unfortunately, Kaur has a megalomaniacal streak to go along with her belief in aristocratic government; as she works to breed a better sort of human, she also tries to develop a flesh-eating streptococcus bacterium to wipe out the billions of lesser men and women cluttering the planet. By tracking the specialized equipment sought by Chrysalis, Gary Seven has developed a pretty good sense of Kaur's plans for world domination. While he follows the lab equipment to its hidden destination, Roberta and Isis infiltrate Chrysalis by posing as a progressive geneticist and her pet cat. Soon they all realize the extent of the threat posed by Chrysalis and its offspring, but Kaur's ruthless ambitions for her son "Noon" and the other selectively bred wunderkind won't easily be deterred, not even by an alien-reared human and a woman who can turn into a cat. Against this backdrop, the better-known history of last 30 years plays out as expected. In addition to his knowledge of Romulan and Borg genetic experiments, Seven uses dividends from investments into Kodak and cell phone technology to assist his research. Roberta reads Jonathan Livingston Seagull to ward off boredom and compares the Chrysalis cover-up to Watergate. As events unfold, she does some female bonding with marine biologist Gillian Taylor before the latter vanishes into the future along with a pair of whales. Roberta also meets Kathryn Janeway's ancestor Shannon O'Donnell during the engineer's tenure at Area 51, but the circumstances aren't the best, for Roberta has come to retrieve the equipment left behind by Chekov in Alameda. Numerous Trek characters receive mention alongside Sally Ride, Louise Brown, Michael Crichton and dozens of other familiar names from real life. Young Khan's life is shaped by familiar history as well; anti-Sikh prejudice in Delhi and the disastrous chemical spill in Bhopal have a far greater impact on him than his encounters with a human raised by extraterrestrials. Gary Seven tries to recruit the exceptional young man, but remains concerned that in addition to great strength and intellect, Sarina Kaur endowed her son with unnatural ambition and a lack of empathy for "lesser" humans. This dilemma resonates for Captain Kirk as he studies it in the future, trying to decide whether it's worth admitting to the Federation a group of genetically eningeered humans who might otherwise throw in their lot with the Klingons. Cox writes with great wit and an obvious love of Trek lore, though his greatest accomplishment lies in the way he links together seemingly unconnected 20th century events into a complex conspiracy that makes The X-Files seem unsophisticated. The novel is full of delightful details -- Kaur referring to Gary Seven as 007, Roberta drawing comparisons between the geeks at genetics conferences and science fiction conventions, Isis interfering with a Reagan-Gorbachev photo op, Khan using a chakram to defend himself (the latter being both in character for a Sikh and a clever homage to Xena, Warrior Princess). Cox's historical notes in the afterword set the record straight, offering tidbits about secret tunnels under the Kremlin and secret missions of NASA space shuttles. At 404 pages, 'The Eugenics Wars, Volume One' makes for a long and satisfying read, though it breaks at an awkward point in the framing story just after Khan has become an adult. I imagine that most of the criticism of this novel will focus on the fact that it costs $25 but leaves the reader hanging in anticipation of the next expensive installment. Still, it's worth it. The larger book format (think 'Pathways') contains more content than most Trek hardcovers, and this is a book worth reading more than once.
Rating:
Summary: The Untold Story
Review: Simply put: I really enjoyed this book! Reading more like a thriller novel than your classic Trek story, Greg Cox has created a feast of reading pleasure. Taking all the way back to 1974, Cox gives us the story of Khan Noonien Singh -- quite possibly was the best Trek villian ever created. Using snippets of the Star Trek chronology created by Gene Roddenberry in the classis Trek episode "Space Seed" and further in one of the best Trek films, Wrath of Khan, Cox gives us the history of the Eugenics War starting in 1974 and moving forward to story we've heard many times before. I will say this for Greg Cox, he captures the spirit of the times -- the 1970s through the middle 1980s -- accurately and he brings the character of Khan Noonien Singh to life so well you can almost here Ricardo Montalban speaking the words. In addition, the characters of Gary Seven, Isis the cat, and Roberta Lincoln are spot on. Cox has always been a fantastic Trek writer, and his Star Trek: TOS stories are among THE BEST written. This novel is a must-read for any Trek fan.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Start!
Review: I've read both books in this two-parter, and Book 1 was an excellent, scarily plausible historical "backgrounder" to the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s. I liked the liberal interspersing of characters from "Trek lore" in this book, such as Ralph Offenhouse from the NextGen episodes and later "Debtor's Planet" where he reveals that his business connections were part of what helped the genetic-engineering consortium create people like Khan Singh, or Gillian Taylor of Star Trek IV (the movie) fame.
I didn't mind the focus being on Gary Seven and his associates, since Khan Singh prior to about 1989 wouldn't really show his dangerous megalomania until post-1989 (and you can see some of that hubris show through in the way he savages Gary Seven's office), and so Seven's attempts to steer Khan Singh into more worthy pursuits are well-placed even if they were, as we know, ultimately futile.
As a nuclear chemist I liked the added touch where Cox explains specifically how the geometry (and by implication, the uranium being used) of the nuclear plant's power rods were designed to provide the necessary critical mass for a nuclear bomb, as real-life nuclear reactors do not, either by deliberate design or simply by the nature of their construction, have the necessary amount of uranium or the right geometry to explode catastrophically like a nuclear weapon if they "go critical".
Rating:
Summary: A Different Kind of Star Trek Novel
Review: I have read quite a few Star Trek books and this is probably one of the best I have read in quite some time. I say that because it had an interesting story but I also say that because it was somewhat unique: it was not about Captain Kirk or Captain Picard teaming up to save the Federation from certain doom; it was not a story of a vile Romulan conspiracy; it was a story that explored an area of time that is not often considered in the Star Trek writings that I have read.
One good thing about the book, in some ways, is that it can serve largely as an entertaining stand-alone novel, even separate from the Star Trek mythos. That said, this is not entirely the case as the guiding framework is certainly a Star Trek story that looks to the past. Specifically, we have a framework story of Captain Kirk and his crew that takes place some time before the events of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (going by the stardate, anyway). That story provides a framework (albeit a somewhat weak one, in my opinion) for looking at a series of events in Earth's past - specifically from 1974 to 1989.
The events of these years do two things: showcase the actions of Gary Seven (first seen in the Star Trek Original Series episode "Assignment: Earth") and the formation of Khan Noonien Singh (first seen in the Star Trek Original Series episode "Space Seed" and the movie "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan"). How these two elements tie together is the brunt of this novel. What follows from that is a fast-paced novel with many amusing moments and, in my opinion, a genuinely interesting story.
Fans of the various Star Trek series will recognize many references to characters and situations. Not knowing every nuance of the various episodes and characters, however, does not detract from the novel at all. (Some of the clever in-jokes or "for the fans" material passed right by me until only after I had read the book.)
For me, the book does have an interesting subtext, whether intended or not. If we have the ability to save others from themselves, do we have the responsibility to do so? Do we let people (or societies) make their own mistakes? Is it dangerous to modify our own evolutionary path or do we recognize that we evolved with that capability and thus must be allowed to exploit it? What is the more appropriate way to approach societal and cultural problems: head-on, with as much control as possible or indirectly, only intervening when absolutely necessary?
I give this book five stars because I was very entertained while reading it and because it presented a new face to Star Trek to me and that was something I really needed to keep interested in the Star Trek mythos. Beyond that, going to the subtext I mentioned above, the book made me consider various ideas even after I put the book down and I found myself thinking about the differences between Gary Seven and Khan and how their mindsets and actions mirror those of various societies on Earth today. In short, the novel entertained and made me think. For me, I can think of no better reason to give it five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Pandering and pretentious, but somewhat enjoyable
Review: I picked up Vol 1 and 2 of this book for cheap, and I'm happy I did. This would be a rage rather than a review otherwise. With the lack of "classic" Trek books these days I decided to give this a try. While the structure of the writing is good, and the writer clearly has good Trek knowledge and a great imagination, he panders too much to trekkies for my taste. Why is it sci-fi writers are compelled to draw connections between every little aspect of backstories... it's just painful. For example, the author felt compelled to bring into Khan's story every aspect of 20th century Trek lore. From the Deep Space Nine "Area 51" episode to Gillian Taylor (from Star Trek IV) to the immortal Methusalah. Perhaps he thinks he's paying homage to Trek but to this reader it's pure pandering without purpose (these characters bring nothing to the story that a new character couldn't). It's just a nod to trekkies and nothing more.
But if you can look past this prtentiousness then it's a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not really what I wanted
Review: When Khan was introduced back in the 60's, the TV show claimed that he rose to power during the 1990's, which was the "near future" at that time. Since the 90's have now come and gone, I think the logical approach to this story would have been to declare that Khan's reign still lies somewhere in our indefinite future, say, the 2030's. Instead, this book sets up an elaborate James Bond/X-Files-style conspiracy in the 1970's which secretly created Khan and his genetically engineered cohorts while all of "real" history is going on around them. I have not yet read the sequel, which I have to assume is going to set up a version of the 1990's which is completely different from what the world actually lived through, one in which the eugenic supermen did indeed take over the world. This begs the question, if the author was going to write a Harry Turtledove-style alternate history anyway, why not do so from the beginning, back in the 70's, instead of doing all this cartoony "secret organization" conspiracy stuff? My biggest problem with the book is the use of Gary Seven as the main character. Gary is fun in a campy sort of way (I enjoyed Cox's novel "Operation Eternity"), but he reduces any story in which he appears to about the seriousness-level of an episode of Get Smart. This story is primarily a spy spoof, complete with evil organizations in giant underground lairs with big shiny red self-destruct buttons. Khan himself comes across as a compelling personality. The best scene in the book (warning, I'm about to give something away) involves Khan's witnessing the sheer horror of the Bhopal industrial catastrophe in India, and his indignant fury at the callous human ineptitude which brought it about. (I'm ashamed to say that it's the first time I'd heard of this disaster-it deserves to be more well known in the U.S.). Unfortunately, this poignant scene was an exception, not the rule. In all, The Eugenics Wars had the potential to be a thought-provoking look at how dictatorships rise and fall, and also at the very real dangers and opportunities of the biotechnical age we are now entering. Instead we got a silly pot-boiler full of chase scenes. Oh well. The sequel may be better.
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