Chain of Attack (Star Trek, No 32)

Rating:
Summary: DeWeese Rules!
Review: I read this back when it came out the first time and I loved the story. Gene DeWeese is probably one of the best authors of the novels for the original Enterprise crew. I'm not sure how anyone who enjoys Star Trek novels could think this is boring. I believe that the premise of this book may have had something to do with the development of the TV show Star Trek Voyager. Star Trek novels are rarely of the quality of a good thriller like those of DeMille or Deighton--different target audiences. This book has a sequel entitled The Final Nexus--not quite as exciting, but a good book to read if you enjoy this one.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, ALMOST worth five stars.
Review: The main plot of this book is Star Trek at its best, giving a very close look at a basic truth: the reason for most aggression is fear. Unfortunately, the subplot involving Dr. Crandall, the civilian observer and general pest, was not up to the standards of the rest of the book; it was neither original nor believable, and was, in fact, pretty well pointless. The concept that the "outsider" from off the Enterprise, whether an Admiral from Starfleet or a civilian scientist, proves to be difficult and troublesome is done so often in Original Series episodes and books that it is trite beyond words, and the concept that someone as utterly worthless as this clown was portrayed throughout the book could have such a sudden change of heart and selflessly risk his life to save the day is completely out of the realm of possibility. If you wanted him to get to that point eventually, he needed to either have been portrayed with SOME redeeming value earlier, or else have been given more time to digest his transforming experience before acting on it. As it was, people just don't work that way. Not even in a gloriously optimistic place like the Star Trek universe. This cost the book a star, but it was still an excellent book, very thought-provoking, and maintaining much of the feel of an Original Series episode.

Rating:
Summary: Some flaws but generally very good.
Review: The scope of this book is fairly spectacular. The Enterprise is trapped in another galaxy, trying to find or recreate the circumstances that brought it there, while two factions engaged in genocidal war attempt to destroy the ship as well as each other. Naturally, Captain Kirk seeks to end the war, not just stay out of it and go home (or even pick a side, as Janeway might do). There is also a civilian observer along to provide problems inside the ship as well. This is an excellent book in terms of the adherence to Trek themes and the way the characters behave. The action scenes, in space and on the ship, are very well done. The author's overall writing is, as always, a bit stiff and the character interaction a bit flat. The other elements make up for that, however.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant in a jewel-box of sci-fi novels.
Review: This Gene DeWeese's novel is simply one of the best Star Trak books ever written. The story paints a typical mission of starship Enterprise and its unique crew but the author's conception is dished to the reader in a great, well-readable and original form. The Enterprise, exploring gravity anomalies by new types of sensors, is suddenly exuviated to another galaxy, millions of parsecs far from the known universe. Captain James T. Kirk is situated into non-easy problem - bring his ship back home and, first of all, find out WHERE the "home" actually is. To increase the extremeness, the Enterprise meets several alien ships soon and is dragged into an interstellar battle where nobody knows who is his real enemy and everything culminates in a surprising conclusion ...
The power of the book is in non-traditional storyline where the diplomacy and human qualities often outdo a simple blasting an enemy ship by a photon torpedo, and the author doesn't forget about psychological profiles of the crew which lead into many complicated and interesting situations. The Voyager series viewers may be surprised that the story opens the same theme but in much better and more interesting form.
Chain of Attack is a masterpiece of its genre and I can recommend it to every sci-fi fan.