Rating: 
Summary: Truly a conundrum.
Review: The overall value of this book is much less than the sum of its parts.It is a frame story, in which we get a story told by Captains Kirk and Sulu in the first person, at a tavern called "The Captain's Table". The story/stories told by Kirk and Sulu is/are marvellous; fast-paced, complex, with excellent characterizations and insightful looks into all of our favorite original series characters. Those internal stories, I would rate five stars without hesitation. The concept of The Captain's Table, a semi-mystical, alternate-dimensional tavern where all captains of all races and times are welcome, and only captains are welcome, and can enjoy the society of their peers without problems of communication or enmity, is an interesting enough concept; "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon" meets the galactic federation. If the idea were standing alone, I would rate it four stars. But the idea does not stand alone; it chooses to be wedded to the "Star Trek" universe, to make it more marketable. And unfortunately, it simply doesn't work in the Star Trek universe. As even my eight-year-old can see, when told about the idea, and that captains from the long past sailing ship days are there along with starship captains, "Doesn't that violate the prime directive?" I would love to see the "Captain's Table" concept continued, but with NEW characters and a NEW background universe. Leave Star Trek out of it; some concepts just don't mix. (You might have some really fine, five-star orange juice, and some excellent four-star chocolate milk, but would you really want to mix them?)
Rating:
Summary: Truly a conundrum.
Review: The overall value of this book is much less than the sum of its parts. It is a frame story, in which we get a story told by Captains Kirk and Sulu in the first person, at a tavern called "The Captain's Table". The story/stories told by Kirk and Sulu is/are marvellous; fast-paced, complex, with excellent characterizations and insightful looks into all of our favorite original series characters. Those internal stories, I would rate five stars without hesitation. The concept of The Captain's Table, a semi-mystical, alternate-dimensional tavern where all captains of all races and times are welcome, and only captains are welcome, and can enjoy the society of their peers without problems of communication or enmity, is an interesting enough concept; "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon" meets the galactic federation. If the idea were standing alone, I would rate it four stars. But the idea does not stand alone; it chooses to be wedded to the "Star Trek" universe, to make it more marketable. And unfortunately, it simply doesn't work in the Star Trek universe. As even my eight-year-old can see, when told about the idea, and that captains from the long past sailing ship days are there along with starship captains, "Doesn't that violate the prime directive?" I would love to see the "Captain's Table" concept continued, but with NEW characters and a NEW background universe. Leave Star Trek out of it; some concepts just don't mix. (You might have some really fine, five-star orange juice, and some excellent four-star chocolate milk, but would you really want to mix them?)
Rating:
Summary: Truly a conundrum.
Review: The overall value of this book is much less than the sum of its parts. It is a frame story, in which we get a story told by Captains Kirk and Sulu in the first person, at a tavern called "The Captain's Table". The story/stories told by Kirk and Sulu is/are marvellous; fast-paced, complex, with excellent characterizations and insightful looks into all of our favorite original series characters. Those internal stories, I would rate five stars without hesitation. The concept of The Captain's Table, a semi-mystical, alternate-dimensional tavern where all captains of all races and times are welcome, and only captains are welcome, and can enjoy the society of their peers without problems of communication or enmity, is an interesting enough concept; "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon" meets the galactic federation. If the idea were standing alone, I would rate it four stars. But the idea does not stand alone; it chooses to be wedded to the "Star Trek" universe, to make it more marketable. And unfortunately, it simply doesn't work in the Star Trek universe. As even my eight-year-old can see, when told about the idea, and that captains from the long past sailing ship days are there along with starship captains, "Doesn't that violate the prime directive?" I would love to see the "Captain's Table" concept continued, but with NEW characters and a NEW background universe. Leave Star Trek out of it; some concepts just don't mix. (You might have some really fine, five-star orange juice, and some excellent four-star chocolate milk, but would you really want to mix them?)
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointing Kirk and Sulu team - up
Review: To begin with Kirk and Sulu should have had their own respective Captain's Table books. This team up was nicely conceived but badly executed. We are led to believe through various verbal references and within the context of the novel that there is a supposed twenty year difference between Kirk's and Sulu's stories. Kirk's tale takes place just after the death of Lt Commander Gary Mitchell in the episode: 'Where No Man Has Gone Before'. circa 2265 and Sulu's yarn transpires just after he is promoted to captain and is given command of the USS Excelsior in 2290. (According to the potted biographies of James Kirk and Hikaru Sulu at the end of the book and substantiated by 'The Star trek Chronology-The History Of The Future by Michael and Denise Okuda.) This, by my calculation is actually difference of twenty-five years; a quarter century not twenty years. The book also failed to enthrall me, there are quite a few tedious descriptive passages, hardly a page tur! ! ner. A nice effort but a decidedly mediocre start to a promising premise. I was also dismayed to hear that There would be no Captain Spock episode to this series. A serious over-sight. He was captain of the USS Enterprise 1701 from 2277 till 2285 albeit a Star fleet Academy training vessel. Captain Garth of Izar from the the 'classic' episode 'Whom God's Destroy' would've made a fine protagonist in a tale outlining the basis for his legendary status. He is a contemporary of Captain Pike and required reading at Starfleet Academy. Captain Kirk himself considered Garth his hero and had read all about Garth at the Academy. Captain Morgan Bateman from the STNG episode 'Cause And Effect'; another fine candidate. I could go on. Suffice it to say six books aren't enough; . this should be an on-going book series!
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly enjoyable
Review: Twenty pages in, there were enough strikes against War Dragons that I doubted I would enjoy it. The whole "Captain's Table" concept turns out to be misleading; there's no time warp that allows Kirk/Picard/Sisko/Janeway to tell stories to each other - even though a look at each cover strongly implies it. The frame story involving the Captain's Table bar is weak and unconvincing. Kirk's and Sulu's stories are told in voices that do not sound like Kirk or Sulu; nor are they told in ways we'd expect a story to be told at a bar. Too much introspection, too much detail. And yet War Dragons is one of the better Star Trek books out there. The plot structure is intriguing. Kirk's and Sulu's stories occur twenty years apart and are told in alternating chapters until they converge for the last third of the book. Each story has plenty of suspense and action and, once one puts aside the frame story, are well-written. There are excellent Trek moments, including a charming description of the beginning of Kirk & Spock's working relationship, and a tasteful cameo by Tuvok. Also interesting is the idea that Sulu pegged Chekov to be his first officer; Graf successfully explains Chekov's eventual return to the Enterprise. Not great literature, of course, nor great science fiction (read Harry Harrison's West of Eden for a masterful treatment of reptilian cultures that speak with physical movement as well as verbal cues). It is, however, very good Star Trek - amusing, entertaining, and satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly enjoyable
Review: Twenty pages in, there were enough strikes against War Dragons that I doubted I would enjoy it. The whole "Captain's Table" concept turns out to be misleading; there's no time warp that allows Kirk/Picard/Sisko/Janeway to tell stories to each other - even though a look at each cover strongly implies it. The frame story involving the Captain's Table bar is weak and unconvincing. Kirk's and Sulu's stories are told in voices that do not sound like Kirk or Sulu; nor are they told in ways we'd expect a story to be told at a bar. Too much introspection, too much detail. And yet War Dragons is one of the better Star Trek books out there. The plot structure is intriguing. Kirk's and Sulu's stories occur twenty years apart and are told in alternating chapters until they converge for the last third of the book. Each story has plenty of suspense and action and, once one puts aside the frame story, are well-written. There are excellent Trek moments, including a charming description of the beginning of Kirk & Spock's working relationship, and a tasteful cameo by Tuvok. Also interesting is the idea that Sulu pegged Chekov to be his first officer; Graf successfully explains Chekov's eventual return to the Enterprise. Not great literature, of course, nor great science fiction (read Harry Harrison's West of Eden for a masterful treatment of reptilian cultures that speak with physical movement as well as verbal cues). It is, however, very good Star Trek - amusing, entertaining, and satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Fair, but not the best in this series.
Review: War Dragons was a good try from a group of writers who usually hit the mark with their novels, but this one isn't up to their usual standards. For one thing, I agree with the other reviewers that Kirk and Sulu should have had separate books. I also don't think that Sulu is really popular enough to merit his own book, but that's another topic. It took me a while to finish this book. Definitely easy to put down. I've read the first five books in the Captain's Table series, and this one is my least favorite. It's worth reading, but only if you're a real Star Trek fan. And here's a thought: Since Uhura played such a large role in this novel, why not tell the story in her voice?
Rating:
Summary: Fair, but not the best in this series.
Review: War Dragons was a good try from a group of writers who usually hit the mark with their novels, but this one isn't up to their usual standards. For one thing, I agree with the other reviewers that Kirk and Sulu should have had separate books. I also don't think that Sulu is really popular enough to merit his own book, but that's another topic. It took me a while to finish this book. Definitely easy to put down. I've read the first five books in the Captain's Table series, and this one is my least favorite. It's worth reading, but only if you're a real Star Trek fan. And here's a thought: Since Uhura played such a large role in this novel, why not tell the story in her voice?
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