Rating: 
Summary: Spock Must Die
Review: Spock Must Die by James Blish (1970)This was the first Star Trek novel ever published, written by the author of the books of adaptations of the TV episodes. At the time of publication, the original series had ended, three books of episode adaptations had been published, and Star Trek had just begun its trip into syndication into local markets. There was as yet no indication that there would ever be anything besides what had already occurred. The spectacularly-titled story begins with the Enterprise on a deep-space mapping mission, when word comes of the outbreak of war with the Klingon Empire. This should be impossible according to the Organian Peace Treaty, but the ship and its crew are months away from Organia, Earth, the battle front, and separated from all of these by a large portion of the Empire. With options limited, Scott devises a plan. Recalling Dr. McCoy's earlier objections to the transporter, positing that he had been 'killed' the first time he had been transported, and a duplicate created. Scott proposes actually creating a duplicate, composed of tachyons, and sending such a duplicate over the many light years needed to reach Organia. With transporter modifications in place, Mr. Spock is selected as the logical person to investigate on Organia. As Scott prepares to send a tachyon duplicate on its long journey, the chamber is shielded to allow for the operation, and the device activated. When the transport is finished, a surprise awaits. Instead of sending a duplicate to Organia, two Mr. Spocks are on the transporter platform, each claiming to be the original! Now, Captain Kirk must devise the best plan to change the tide of the war, determine which Spock is the original, and keep his crew safe while rescuing the Federation. In the meantime, one of the Spocks is obviously trying to sabotage the ship, but which is really the imposter? All of these things must be determined in order to win the war. The author uses a convenient device to key the plot, but presents it well enough that it can be covered by the willing suspension of disbelief. An award-winning science fiction writer and reviewer, Blish writes a plausible science angle, at least plausible by 1970 standards. The author's ending has been contradicted by subsequent movie and TV events, but at the time no one had any reason to suspect that there would ever be any more new Star Trek material. In fact, aside from fanzine publications, there was no new material for over six years, except for the animated show. The novel is a good read, and quite short at 118 pages in the version I read. It is by no means a great book, but it is interesting and a page-turner. It is mostly of historical significance as the first of its kind, and as the only original material by the author of the TV adaptations. Blish died in 1975, shortly after completing the adaptations of all the TV episodes.
Rating: 
Summary: SPOCK MUST DIE!
Review: Spock Must Die! was the first original Star Trek novel, and in fact is one of the best. When the Klingons unexpectedly invade Federation space, the Enterprise heads to Organia to see why the all-powerfufl Organians haven't intervened. A transporter experiment en route backfires horribly, creating a duplicate of Mr. Spock. Evidence surfaces that one of the Spocks is a Klingon agent--but which one? Written by renowned sci-fi author James Blish, who adapted most of the original TV series into short stories, Spock Must Die! is a remarkably fast and easy read, despite the author's regrettable tendency to let his characters lapse into opaque techspeak at every opportunity. Blish understood the Star Trek characters thoroughly though, and this comes through in his prose, particularly his portrayals of Kirk and Spock. While Spock Must Die! certainly doesn't mesh with established Trek continuity since its original publication date, the novel remains a fun, thrilling tale, escpecially for those of us who still wax nostalgic about classic Trek.
Rating:
Summary: SPOCK MUST DIE!
Review: Spock Must Die! was the first original Star Trek novel, and in fact is one of the best. When the Klingons unexpectedly invade Federation space, the Enterprise heads to Organia to see why the all-powerfufl Organians haven't intervened. A transporter experiment en route backfires horribly, creating a duplicate of Mr. Spock. Evidence surfaces that one of the Spocks is a Klingon agent--but which one? Written by renowned sci-fi author James Blish, who adapted most of the original TV series into short stories, Spock Must Die! is a remarkably fast and easy read, despite the author's regrettable tendency to let his characters lapse into opaque techspeak at every opportunity. Blish understood the Star Trek characters thoroughly though, and this comes through in his prose, particularly his portrayals of Kirk and Spock. While Spock Must Die! certainly doesn't mesh with established Trek continuity since its original publication date, the novel remains a fun, thrilling tale, escpecially for those of us who still wax nostalgic about classic Trek.
Rating: 
Summary: Senseless technobabble, gibberish
Review: This book stinks, especially as the climax hinges on meaningless technobabble. The characterizations are also way off.
Don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Well, at least this Star Trek book makes sense!
Review: This book, although not a great literary work, was a relief to read. It is presently the only book standing between me and a sweeping condemnation of ALL Star Trek books. The story is interesting and even engrossing. Each chapter ends with a little cliff hanger, and (most important) it keeps in continuity with the television series. It is a good follow-up story to the episode "Errand of Mercy," but is it guilty of the same annoying flaw as the original series and most Star Trek books - way too much focus on Kirk and Spock. I give this book four stars for the story and continuity, and I take back one star for the reason stated. (Am I the only Trekkie who feels this way about the original Star Trek?)
Rating:
Summary: Well, at least this Star Trek book makes sense!
Review: This book, although not a great literary work, was a relief to read. It is presently the only book standing between me and a sweeping condemnation of ALL Star Trek books. The story is interesting and even engrossing. Each chapter ends with a little cliff hanger, and (most important) it keeps in continuity with the television series. It is a good follow-up story to the episode "Errand of Mercy," but is it guilty of the same annoying flaw as the original series and most Star Trek books - way too much focus on Kirk and Spock. I give this book four stars for the story and continuity, and I take back one star for the reason stated. (Am I the only Trekkie who feels this way about the original Star Trek?)
Rating: 
Summary: Maintains continuity with the series
Review: This novel is more like the series than any other that I have read. Blish wrote many of the screenplay-to-paperback adaptations. His wife wrote the rest after his death. Blish had the feel and the taste to do justice to the series. Most of the authors who penned the myriad novels that followed, were too nerdy and lacking in scientific creativity to meet the high standards set by the writers who penned the screenplays. The plot goes roughly like this: Spock is duplicated by a force unknown to the crew of the Enterprise. Which Spock is the original and which is the copy? Was the duplication a freak accident or are sinister forces involved? Read the book to find out.
Rating:
Summary: Maintains continuity with the series
Review: This novel is more like the series than any other that I have read. Blish wrote many of the screenplay-to-paperback adaptations. His wife wrote the rest after his death. Blish had the feel and the taste to do justice to the series. Most of the authors who penned the myriad novels that followed, were too nerdy and lacking in scientific creativity to meet the high standards set by the writers who penned the screenplays. The plot goes roughly like this: Spock is duplicated by a force unknown to the crew of the Enterprise. Which Spock is the original and which is the copy? Was the duplication a freak accident or are sinister forces involved? Read the book to find out.
Rating:
Summary: "Fascinating ..."
Review: Unfortunately, the STAR TREK books often times slump to the level of merely readable adventures continuing aimlessly from the small or the silver screen; they rarely reach beyond a limited focus and explore a grand tapestry with which to weave the tapestry of a novel. SPOCK MUST DIE, much like the Reeves-Stevens work in the Trek universe, goes well beyond the typical tome, giving us the plotlines on a galactic scale, characterizations true to those we know from the series, and posing interesting scientific 'what ifs' (always a benchmark of the great stories).
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