Star Trek 5

Rating:
Summary: Adaptations of 7 episodes, most from season 3
Review: First published in 1972, these short stories are Blish's adaptations of the screenplays of various episodes from the original series. The episodes aren't sorted into books according to either chronological order or identity of screenwriter.

"Whom Gods Destroy" (episode 71, season 3, screenplay Lee Erwin and Jerry Sohl) (The remainder of the title quote is 'they first drive mad'; the setting is Elba II, a planet with a poisonous atmosphere used to isolate the criminally insane in an escape-proof setting.) I tend to bracket this with "Dagger of the Mind" from season 1. _Enterprise_ has come to Elba II because the newest inmate, Garth of Izar, was a respected starship captain until he was driven mad by injuries sustained in the line of duty. The problem is, the inmates have taken over the asylum, and Garth is a formidable opponent, insane or no.

"The Tholian Web" (episode 64, season 3, screenplay Judy Burns and Chet Richards) Sent by Starfleet to locate the lost _Defiant_, the _Enterprise_ finds it drifting near a 'fracture' in space that affects the minds of any near it, apparently the cause of the death of _Defiant_'s crew. Kirk, separated from the rest of the away team, appears to have been lost - and when a Tholian vessel appears and demands that _Enterprise_ leave the area, Spock and McCoy must open Kirk's final sealed orders and presume his death.

"Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" (episode 70, season 3, screenplay Oliver Crawford from a story by Gene L. Coon (as Lee Cronin)) Two aliens from the hitherto unknown planet Cheron board the _Enterprise_ - Lokai, a member of an oppressed minority on that planet, and Bele, the law enforcement officer who has been pursuing him for 50000 years on charges of terrorism. (Interesting if unsubtle point: the two races look exactly the same, half black/half white, except that one is white/black and the other black/white; only the placement of the colours distinguishes them.) As Lokai demands asylum and Bele extradition, Kirk defers the issue to Starfleet Command - and in frustration, Bele uses his ESP to seize control of the ship and force a return to Cheron.

"This Side of Paradise" (episode 25, season 1, screenplay Nathan Butler and Dorothy C. Fontana). The first of several episodes over the years to explore the notion of a 'paradise' planet: in this case, Omicron Ceti III, where the colonists have survived lethal doses of radiation only through accidental exposure to plant spores that act as natural tranquilizers. The colonists are happy - but insist on exposing the _Enterprise_ crew to the effect. (This story works best if you've previously read/seen "The Enemy Within" - certain aspects of Kirk's character showcased in that episode are critical to coping with the lotus-eater syndrome herein.)

"Turnabout Intruder" (last episode of season 3, screenplay Gene Roddenberry and Arthur H. Singer) Janice Lester, an old acquaintance of Kirk's embittered since he attained command when she did not, uses an alien device to force an exchange of bodies with him. Blish's adaptation, like the original episode, concentrates more on Lister in Kirk's body than the real Kirk, confined to the brig for trying to incite mutiny. Lester, however, isn't good at passing herself off as the real Kirk, and overlooked some crucial details about the intended purpose of the device.

"Requiem for Methuselah" (episode 76, season 3, screenplay Jerome Bixby) Flint, a very wealthy recluse living alone with an unusually beautiful and self-possessed young woman in palatial surroundings, permits the _Enterprise_ to collect some vital minerals needed to treat an outbreak of Rigellian fever among the crew. But as delays interfere with McCoy's treatment, Spock and Kirk have time to notice just how unusual Flint's palace - and his ward Rayna - really are. [This episode was later used by another author, along with "Miri", to create _Cry of the Onlies_, which tied up some loose ends.]

"The Way to Eden" (episode 75, season 3, screenplay Arthur Heinemann and Michael Richards) A back-to-nature cult (resembling contemporary hippies) has stolen a starship (bad) and are headed for the Romulan Neutral Zone (worse) in the belief that Eden is a planet to be found in that area. _Enterprise_ must prevent them from causing an international incident. On the other hand, their leader has a reputation as a brilliant scientist, and one of the youngsters is the son of an ambassador figuring prominently in very delicate negotiations...

Rating:
Summary: Turning the final season of Star Trek into short stories
Review: So, here I am trying to put together a reading list for a Science Fiction class only to discover time and time again that books I would like to use are no longer in print. James Blish, who died from lung cancer at the age of 54 in 1975, did a very nice job of adapting the Star Trek scripts into short story form. In the old days, when syndication was just beginning and videotapes were in the far flung future, these books by Blish were all we had to help those of us without phenomenal memories to learn all the dialogue. "Star Trek 5" contains seven episodes, all but one from the show's final season. The exception is "This Side of Paradise," from the first season, known as the episode where Spock gets zapped by spores and is happy for a while. This is rather ironic, because it would match up well with "All Our Yesterday," where Spock finds happiness in the past with Zarabeth, but that story is in "Star Trek 4." Go figure. Anyhow, this particular volume has the novelizations of "Whom Gods Destroy," "The Tholian Web," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," "Turnabout Intruder," "Requiem for Methuselah" (one of my personal Top 10 favorites), and "This Way to Eden." Reading these stories proves what we pretty much already knew, that the strength of "Star Trek" was the stories and not the special effects. It is the relationship between Spock and McCoy that stands out in "The Tholian Web" and their affection for Kirk in "Requiem for Methuselah." I would have picked "Star Trek 4" for my reading list, but it really is time for Blish's stories to be republished (hint, hint, hint).

Rating:
Summary: Turning the final season of Star Trek into short stories
Review: So, here I am trying to put together a reading list for a Science Fiction class only to discover time and time again that books I would like to use are no longer in print. James Blish, who died from lung cancer at the age of 54 in 1975, did a very nice job of adapting the Star Trek scripts into short story form. In the old days, when syndication was just beginning and videotapes were in the far flung future, these books by Blish were all we had to help those of us without phenomenal memories to learn all the dialogue. "Star Trek 5" contains seven episodes, all but one from the show's final season. The exception is "This Side of Paradise," from the first season, known as the episode where Spock gets zapped by spores and is happy for a while. This is rather ironic, because it would match up well with "All Our Yesterday," where Spock finds happiness in the past with Zarabeth, but that story is in "Star Trek 4." Go figure. Anyhow, this particular volume has the novelizations of "Whom Gods Destroy," "The Tholian Web," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," "Turnabout Intruder," "Requiem for Methuselah" (one of my personal Top 10 favorites), and "This Way to Eden." Reading these stories proves what we pretty much already knew, that the strength of "Star Trek" was the stories and not the special effects. It is the relationship between Spock and McCoy that stands out in "The Tholian Web" and their affection for Kirk in "Requiem for Methuselah." I would have picked "Star Trek 4" for my reading list, but it really is time for Blish's stories to be republished (hint, hint, hint).