Rating: 
Summary: This novel is more than "Star Trek". . .
Review: . . .it is philosophy and theology. (In fact, I actually lent this book to a classmate in a doctoral seminar on hermeneutics!)1) Diane Duane knows the "Classic" Star Trek characters as well as anyone and better than most. 2) She knows the classic episodes better than most. 3) She has filled her novel with extremely believable, yet extremely unique aliens of all descriptions. 4) And in the context of a "we've got to save the universe" novel, explores philosophical questions of God, meaning, existence, etc. in a manner which will challenge the reader (regardless of the reader's theological views). Ms. Duane is known among "Star Trek" circles primarily for her novels about Vulcans and Romulans -- and this is well and good. But the true devotee of "Classic" Star Trek will not want to miss this title.
Rating:
Summary: This novel is more than "Star Trek". . .
Review: . . .it is philosophy and theology. (In fact, I actually lent this book to a classmate in a doctoral seminar on hermeneutics!) 1) Diane Duane knows the "Classic" Star Trek characters as well as anyone and better than most. 2) She knows the classic episodes better than most. 3) She has filled her novel with extremely believable, yet extremely unique aliens of all descriptions. 4) And in the context of a "we've got to save the universe" novel, explores philosophical questions of God, meaning, existence, etc. in a manner which will challenge the reader (regardless of the reader's theological views). Ms. Duane is known among "Star Trek" circles primarily for her novels about Vulcans and Romulans -- and this is well and good. But the true devotee of "Classic" Star Trek will not want to miss this title.
Rating:
Summary: Super!
Review: Another Diane Duane novel that is awesome. The crystal spider is wonderful - and I don't even like spiders! The plot was great, the action was great, the character development was great, and the ending was fabulous...in fact, I nearly cried! The only things I didn't like were some of the technobabble sections - they tended to drag. It was a really innovative story, though, and written wonderfully.
Rating:
Summary: Super!
Review: Another Diane Duane novel that is awesome. The crystal spider is wonderful - and I don't even like spiders! The plot was great, the action was great, the character development was great, and the ending was fabulous...in fact, I nearly cried! The only things I didn't like were some of the technobabble sections - they tended to drag. It was a really innovative story, though, and written wonderfully.
Rating:
Summary: Universal bandage
Review: Come explore the strange new worlds, have the adventure of a life time. The only thing is you need a very large bag. You start out with a new crew person that looks like a large spider with strange idea's about what the laws of physics should be. In fact there is a whole planet full. Breaking the laws of physics is just one of the things they really do best, but they also sort of live for a very long time. This is one bit of enginering that even confounds Mr. Scott. If he cant fix it, then they are really in trouble. So read on to find out what really happens to the crew. BTW... where is the next rest stop.... only half way to the next galaxy.
Rating:
Summary: Universal bandage
Review: Come explore the strange new worlds, have the adventure of a life time. The only thing is you need a very large bag. You start out with a new crew person that looks like a large spider with strange idea's about what the laws of physics should be. In fact there is a whole planet full. Breaking the laws of physics is just one of the things they really do best, but they also sort of live for a very long time. This is one bit of enginering that even confounds Mr. Scott. If he cant fix it, then they are really in trouble. So read on to find out what really happens to the crew. BTW... where is the next rest stop.... only half way to the next galaxy.
Rating: 
Summary: A fine novel.
Review: Diane Duane handles the characterizations of the known characters well, introduces interesting new characters that are intriguing, including throw-away references to minor random crewpeople that will probably never be referred to again simply for the sake of adding fullness to the background and aliens that are truly alien, not simply humans with makeup. The story captures the feel of the original series far better than most novels, and could easily be seen as a potential episode in the series. On the negative side, I've always found stories that involve non-linear time and attempts to imply that cause needn't predate effect a little too "zen" for my taste. As, in fact, was most of the philosophy hinted at in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Now THIS is real Star Trek!
Review: Diane Duane has always been a favorite of mine for both her believable characters and wondrous dialogue... and this is beautifully showcased with a powerful and thought-provoking story. Just about every one of her novels that I have read has given me shivers at some point in the story, and this one is no exception, even with multiple readings. The only problem I have with this book is that a lot of other "Trek" novels fall far short of the standard of this one, and the movies are disappointing too. I wish that the screenwriters could ask for her assistance with dialogue at least....
Rating:
Summary: A perfect example of Star Trek
Review: Diane Duane has always been one of my favourite Trek authors. Her stories are very well written, with the emphasis always being on characters and plotlines, with a firm grasp of scientific concepts. This was Diane's first novel, and even after reading her others (My Enemy, My Ally and Doctor's Orders) this still remains one of my favourite Trek novels. K'tlk, a scientist from a race of sentient arachnids (called the Hamalki), has discovered an 'inversion drive'. Essentially, it allows any vessel to instaneously transport itself from one point in space to another. The theory is explained by K'tlk in a debriefing she gives to the crew. This passage is a perfect example of how Diane can seamlessly combine 'real' science with Trek...something that's been sorely lacking in the official series over the past few years. So what makes 'The Wounded Sky' so special? Because the novel focuses on Star Trek's original premise - "To Boldly Go Where No One has gone Before". The emphasis in this novel is on exploration, and the danger comes from the Enterprise's encounters with the unknown. There is however, a spectacular space battle with the Klingons near the beginning of the novel. The description are extremely vivid, and assumes that a starship will be subject to real physics, which adds real tension to this scene. The second strength of this novel also lies with the characterisation. Unlike the original series, Kirk treats his crew with respect, and they're all given extra dimensions never seen in the series or the films. Uhura is given a chance to demonstrate her talent at translating alien languages, Sulu is given the spotlight during a battle with the Klingons (and seriously kicks butt!), and Chekov acts the hero in a sequence near the end of the book. They're not portrayed or treated as expendable crew members. In Diane's Trek universe, everybody has something useful to contribute, and we care about what happens to them. Kudos to the author for making such a courageous move. One character in particular should be given special mention, and that is K'tlk. The Hamalki are hands-down, in my opinion, the most intriguing alien species created for Star Trek. Their entire culture is genuinely alien, and I think some people are going to get a kick out of finding out about how they reproduce. I was thrilled to see K'tlk return in Diane's other novel ('Spock's World'), this is one character I wouldn't mind seeing more of. So, in conclusion, Wounded Sky is an extremely well-written debut novel. It's unfortunate that Star Trek novels aren't accepted by Paramount as being canon. There are certain aspects of this novel that I wouldn't have minded being put into the TV series. Having a sun go supernova when a starship goes into warp near it's corona makes perfect sense. Again, if anyone wants to read a good example of Star Trek, I strongly reccommend this novel.
Rating:
Summary: This book is one of the best I've ever read.
Review: Diane Duane has magnificently expressed a very unique view of the creation of life. The idea that life is a game is a great point of view, and I often wonder if this is really true. I'm sure that many ponder on this idea, and the ability to create this book is truly amazing
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