Rating: 
Summary: The Origin of Kirk's Bond with Gary Mitchell
Review: A good but not a great Star Trek book. If you ever wanted to know when and how Kirk and Mitchell became such great friends, this is the book for you. Beginning as a flashback in the aftermath of Gary Mitchell's death, Republic is an entertaining, intriguing tale of Kirk's relationship with Mitchell, offering insight into Kirk as a younger man, and what makes both of these guys tick. Not great writing, but fascinating in its description of the interplay between the two men. A great gift for a Trekkie!
Rating: 
Summary: Bravo!
Review: An excellent profile of a young James T Kirk and his best friend Gary Mitchell. I've been waiting for a novel like this and get the first of a trilogy. Captain Kirk is my favourite 'Trek' character and I found that Lt Comdr Gary Mitchell would've been an excellent addition to the classic series had he been cured of his Q complex. It is not surprising to find that Mitchell was a considerable influence in the forging of the legendary captain. Amongst Kirk's influences in various episodes and novels have been Captain Garth 'Whom God's Destroy' his father Commander George Kirk - from the Diane Carey novels 'Final Frontier' and 'Best Destiny' and the first captain of the USS Enterprise 1701 Captain Robert April in the Diane Carey novel 'Best Destiny' The breakdown is as follows:CAPTAIN GARTH - STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL ABILITY CAPTAIN APRIL - COMPASSION & DIPLOMACY COMMANDER KIRK - AGGRESSION AND DETERMINATION LT COMMANDER MITCHELL - BRASHNESS , CUNNING AND CHARM Lt Commander Gary Mitchell has only been highlighted in one other novel Margaret Wander Bonnano's under-rated novel 'Strangers From The Sky'. In which Captain Kirk, Lt Comdr Mitchell, Lt Lee Kelso Mr Spock and Dr Elizabeth Dehner form a landing party to a mysterious un-inhabited planet . This planet subsequently throws them back in time and they get involved in the unofficial first contact with the Vulcans and avert an intergalactic tragedy. The heart of that book is the team work of Kirk Kelso, Mitchell, Dehner and Spock. They're also consistent with the characterisations perpetuated by Michael Jan Friedman. Not so much Kelso, but the way the talked about him and the way they referred to him in 'Thy Brother's Keeper - Republic' is in keeping with the officer portrayed in the novel 'Strangers From The Sky'. and the classic episode 'Where No Man has Gone Before' . 'Thy Brother's Keeper - Republic' is a terrific novel. Kirk flashbacks on his relationship with his best-friend starting with their Academy days and their tour on a training ship the USS Republic. It occasionally snaps back to the present as they cope in the tragic wake of Kelso, Mitchell and Dehner's deaths. Kirk's loss is palpable as is his guilt. The fact that he had no choice is of little comfort, not only has he lost his best friend he was the one responsible for his death. I liked the explanation for the infamous and subsequently inaccurate JAMES R KIRK inscription on the tombstone Gary conjured up . 'R' for 'Racquetball'. A private joke between the two of them. Maybe a little contrived as we've never seen him play or mention the game before. It's the one thing they have in common besides Starfleet; they're both accomplished players and finalists in regional competitions. A nice touch though. There is no doubt in my mind that Mitchell was a great character, 'Trek' presently doesn't quite have any one like him. In the book he's clever, charming, brash, daring, intuitive and a bit a rebel, a rogue. He was a fun guy. I was interesting to see Kirk portrayed as serious, disciplined and shy with women before Mitchell's dastardly influences. For his part Mitchell may very well have been expelled from the Academy for his excesses and impulsive behaviour if not for James T. Some of Kirk's discipline rubbed of on him and he knuckled down and became a fine officer with a bit of a twinkle in his eye. They were very good for one another; complementary. I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy. And I hope that we can have some more Kirk - Mitchell team ups in the future. After all there is the seventeen years from their Academy days to 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' According to the second book 'Thy Brother's Keeper - Constitution ' they served together on the USS Constitution for a while. There must be some more adventures to tell beyond the trilogy as well as in the thirteen months since the USS Enterprise launched on it's five year mission until 'Where No Man has Gone Before'. And I for one would welcome more.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but flawed
Review: I agree with the 'reader from London' concerning his thoughts on 'Thy Brother's Keeper 1 -Republic' 'Thy Brother's Keeper 2 - Constitution' and that there should be more stories about Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell. Pity about the glaring errors in the books and inconsistencies in his rank e.g. 'Lieutenant' not 'Lieutenant Commander' or 'Commander'. And talking about errors the reader from London's' incorrect observation that Kirk and Mitchell knew other or seventeen years since the academy days till the events portrayed in 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' and the ''Brother's Keeper Trilogy' when it was only fourteen or maybe fifteen surely Not quite seventeen. Kirk was eighteen and Mitchell was seventeen apparently. Kirk was thirty- two around the time of Mitchell's death. Well all trivia and inconsistencies aside Thy Brother's Keeper (Star Trek , No's 1 and 2 was excellent 'Trek'. Some advices for next time : get a better proof reader; the one who worked on these two books was woefully negligent in his or her duties. Looking forward to the third instalment.
Rating:
Summary: It was a great, interesting, and sad all at the same time.
Review: I did enjoy the book along with the other books in the trilogy Star Trek "Brother's Keeper." I always wandered what would happen after James T. Kirk had killed his best friend Gary Mitchell after I the Star Trek Original Series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before."
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: I liked it but it was sa
Rating:
Summary: Cool book... but...
Review: I really liked this book, I think it was a great depiction of early Kirk and helped enlighten us some more of the wonderfully imagined friendship between him & Gary... Unfortunately, there are a number of glaring errors in the book! The repeated misnoming of the Starships USS Faragut & USS Republic is a little disappointing. Remember it was the on the USS Faragut that Kirk encountered the cloud-creature, not the USS Republic... only a typo really, but a big one... Also I wasnt aware that phaser pistols had become standard issue during this time frame.. I'll have to watch "Where no man has gone before again" to be sure, but I thought they were still using laser pistols, although with phaser rifles and ships phasers of course... I do hope they plan to edit this book and re-release it with corrections. It would certainly get the 5 stars it so much deserves at least from me! :)
Rating:
Summary: Hard to believe...
Review: It was a good book, but certainly not great - I have read better. I found it very hard to believe that Kirk was intimidated by women and Mitchell fostered and nutured Kirk in his charasmatic ways. I just couldn't get past this aspect of the book and many times had to skip the paragraphs eluding to this story line. We all know Kirk was born with his knack with the ladies - someone didn't have to bring it out.
I was mildly disappointed in this book.
Rating:
Summary: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Review: James T. Kirk has committed a heinous act. He killed his best friend, Gary Mitchell. Sorrow, guilt and frustration take their toll on Kirk as he begins to reminiscence over a relationship that went sour. Republic, the first book, in the three part series of My Brother's Keeper, tells the story of how Kirk and Mitchell became friends at Starfleet Academy. There we meet two different personalities. Kirk is Mr. Play It Safe Lieutenant while Mitchell is a fun loving cad. The two get on one another's nerves. While on the U.S.S. Republic on a training mission, the two begin to learn that they must work together in order to save a planet about to be torn apart in an interplanetary conflict. Republic is a good story in introducing us to two intriguing characters forging a friendship in their youth. We see just what Kirk was like before becoming a Captain and get a taste of Mitchell's influence on his life. This was an enjoyable read which will take you to the stars as well as teach you about the meaning of friendship.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to believe...
Review: Republic is an excellent book written of course by one of the best Trek authors! Republic starts off with the rehashing of the event's surrounding Captain Kirk's duty to kill his best friend Gary Mitchell. From there begin's Captain Kirk's telling the history of his friendship with Gary Mitchell.
This is a very intriguing book in that it begin's the whole back story of their friendship. It is extremely interesting to think that Captain James T. Kirk started out as a shy, somewhat reserved individual and it took Gary Mitchell to change that in his personality.
Rating:
Summary: In the beginning!
Review: Republic is an excellent book written of course by one of the best Trek authors! Republic starts off with the rehashing of the event's surrounding Captain Kirk's duty to kill his best friend Gary Mitchell. From there begin's Captain Kirk's telling the history of his friendship with Gary Mitchell.
This is a very intriguing book in that it begin's the whole back story of their friendship. It is extremely interesting to think that Captain James T. Kirk started out as a shy, somewhat reserved individual and it took Gary Mitchell to change that in his personality.
| 
