Rating: 
Summary: good but confusing
Review: "Uhura's Song" is one of the best Star Trek novels around. Janet Kagan wrote a great book here; if it hadn't been about Star Trek, maybe she would have been up for the John W. Campbell award, because this apparently was her very first novel.Couldn't prove it by me, as it's uniformly excellent stuff. "Uhura's Song" is touching, funny, sensitive, and sad -- it talks of serious subjects in humorous ways (mostly) and doesn't devalue them in the process. It's engaging, irreverent at times, and an extremely good read. The best thing about this book is how true Ms. Kagan was to the characterization of the original Trek characters. Mr. Scott sounds like himself, irascible and concerned by turns, a gifted engineer and part-time bon vivant. Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock sound true to life without getting in the way of the plot, which is carried by Lt. Uhura, new Dr. Evan Wilson, and the Eeiouans Brightspot and Jinx. If you enjoy your books well thought out, well plotted, action and suspense filled while still finding ways to have humorous interludes, this book is for you. Five stars, highly recommended. Oh, and buy Ms. Kagan's other books, too; "Hellspark" in particular is one of my favorites, all time. I really hope she'll write a sequel to that one of these days!
Rating: 
Summary: A grand adventure...
Review: ...and one of the best Star Trek novels ever, Uhurah's Song is not just another programmatic Star Trek novel but an excellent novel in its own right. That it was written as a Star Trek novel is a blessing to both the series and its readers. Janet Kagan does an outstanding job in her portrayal of Kirk & Co., the creation and inclusion of the wholly new and marvelous "guest star" character of Dr. Evan Wilson (perhaps more accurately referred to as Tail-Kinker!), and her conception and depiction of the alien civilizations, worlds, and cultures. The story is exceptional on many levels. It entertains as an adventure/science fiction story seasoned with humor, history, motivation, and emotion. It intrigues as a well-written exploration of science, medicine, and alien cultures. It perplexes with a mystery that lasts all the way to the last few pages. It educates as an allegory that demonstrates both the insanity and danger inherent in intolerance, deliberate ignorance, and prejudice. As an aside, considering that this novel was originally published in 1985, the fictitious ADF syndrome epidemic depicted in the novel is clearly symbolic of the AIDS epidemic that was devastating our world at that time (and continues to do so). There are many similarities between the two epidemics and this work of fiction provides some good commentary on the real-world situation. But I digress... At 384 pages in small print paperback, "Uhurah's Song" is a long journey but well worth the effort - also a well written "Return of the Tail-Kinker" story is long overdue and would be greatly appreciated!
Rating: 
Summary: Mary Sue ruins it
Review: I always like a good "find the cure" thriller, and for the most part this book is not too bad. But unfortunately it is weighted down with the very definition of a Mary Sue character, the new doctor. She overpowers the rest of the book with her obnoxiousness and renders it very difficult to read, for me at least. The "cats are so wonderful" stuff is also fairly grating; I think this book was written purely for self-gratification, and as such is sort of immune to criticism, but unless you find characters who are Just the Best! And Everyone Likes Them So Much! interesting, and are a cat person, I suggest finding another Star Trek book to read.
Rating:
Summary: One of the very best. . .
Review: In my reviews of Classic Star Trek novels, it must be understood that I adhere to the original canon as invisioned by Gene Roddenberry, and not the "Star Trek" universe accepted by Rick Berman and company. I generally rate a classic novel thus: Adherence to Canon -- does this novel adhere to the vision of the original Star Trek? Yes, in my opinion, it does. The principles of the Prime Directive come very much to the fore. The themes also seem particularly relevant to this day and age. Believability (within the confines of 23rd century Star Trek viability) -- is this novel well-plotted and well written? Can I picture this novel or imagine myself in it? Again, yes. Quite so. Coherence and Consistency -- does this novel internally consistent? Is it consistent with other Star Trek novels by the same author? Is it consistent with what is known of the CLASSIC Star Trek universe? Again, yes. The fan of "Classic Trek" will appreciate the expanded roles of both Chekov and Uhura. Mitigating Factors -- pluses or minuses which dramatically affect the enjoyment of this book As someone who appreciates fine music of many genres, the fact that much of the plot was based on a musical theme was an added bit of enjoyment. Altogether, an enjoyable "Classic Star Trek" experience.
Rating:
Summary: A great model for inter-cultural dialogue
Review: Of all the Original Series Trek novels I've read (and that's a LOT!), I rank this one in my Top 10 for good writing, excellent plotting, and a thought-provoking presentation of what a successful intercultural dialogue should be like. The book has a universal appeal and a very good message, even if you're not a Trekkie or an SF fan. In my opinion, it could even be used as outside reading for a course in multiculturism. The way Kagan's characters handle each other's differences certainly beats some of the, er, shall we say, less-than-successful "first contacts" I've experienced as a Hasidic Jew living in rural Minnesota, where "that's different" is local codespeak for disapproval. We can all learn a lot about mutual respect from this book, where both sides discuss what their behavioral "norms" and expectations are. As Stiff Tail explains to her humanoid visitors, there is no "of course" when it comes to local customs. Although the main plot is about finding a cure for a devastating plague that is killing both Eaouans and humans, the real strength of this story lies in the exchange of ideas, songs, customs (and sometimes taboos) between the Enterprise crew and the cat-like alien beings on the planet Sivao. Being a cat lover myself, I found Kagan's portrayal of the felinoid culture to be internally consistent and believably grounded in the real behaviors of cats. Feline characters have appeared in Trek before (such as crewperson M'ress in the animated series, and Snarl, who also makes an appearance here), but this was the first book to explore the cultural possibilities in any depth. Because this novel came relatively early in the Trek series (it's only #21 in a list of hundreds), it helped set a high standard for IDIC in future stories about alien societies. I also liked the central role that Uhura plays in this story. In the Original Series, she sang in a number of episodes, setting the scene for her musical accomplishments in this tale. Having learned certain "secret" songs from her Eaouan friend, Sunfall of-Ennien, Uhura discovers clues in the ancient ballads that lead the crew to Sivao, the original homeworld of Sunfall's ancestors. There, Uhura is honored as a bard for her singing abilities, and this leads to another private song-swap with the local bard. Not only does this exchange help solve the puzzle of the origins of the plague, it fulfills a healing prophecy as well. To tell you any more would ruin a very good read. So nu, enjoy it for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Feline Intelligence and Good Writing Unite
Review: One of my top-5 favorite original series novels! I've already worn out 2 copies! Janet Kagan paints a very complete picture of two different alien worlds - one at risk and the other, if it can be found, with the potential for an answer. This book gives you a chance to see interesting aspects of Uhura's, Chekov's and Spock's characters. Like all the best Star Trek stories, it lets us examine our personalities and prejudices through the alien species. This isn't just a serious story. There are some wonderful scenes - singing "The Volga Boatman", fun with spicy food, fighting saber tooth tigers, calling Scotty on the communicator just to hear his accent, Spock's eyebrow and more. Janet Kagan is a wonderful writer and her other books (non Star Trek) are also worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Mary Sue ruins it
Review: The Enterprise crew are searching for the cure to a devastating disease. First they have to find the planet that may have the cure through ancient songs and legends. Then they make First Contact with the inhabitants and must get to know them and earn their trust. Finally they undertake a ritual Walk through deep forest to get the information they need. The writing in general is great and the descriptions are excellent. The core of the book is the character interaction and dialogue. That is fantastic, with great wit and humour and insight, by the characters and the author. This book reaches the level of what I consider to be the funniest scene in all of Trek, TV, movies and books, and it achieves it by wit - that and a wonderful mental image. The closest modern equivalent in style would probably be DeCandido's Diplomatic Implausibility. If you enjoyed that you may want to consider this as well.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Trek Fanfiction -- excellent!
Review: This book was written in the days when Star Trek novels were written by fans for the love of the show, not the money, and it shows. A plague is sweeping the Federation, and the only hope for a cure lies on a perhaps-mythical planet; the only clue to find the planet lies in the legends of its daughter colony. The strongest themes of the story include communication (and miscommunication) between cultures, and adulthood rites (and when to claim your own adulthood despite those who say you oughtn't). Serious pursuers of the fanfic genre, beware: the original character of Doctor Evan Wilson skates perilously close to being a "Mary Sue" (a self-insertion of an idealized form of the author) but is charming and hardworking in the grand tradition of Star Trek's occasional guest stars. Other characters featured prominently are Uhura and Chekov as well as the omnipresent Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.
Rating:
Summary: Definately one of the best Star Trek books I've read.
Review: Uhura's Song is an absolutely fantastic story. I see some people think the guest doctor is a Mary Sue, but she really isn't--it's hard to say precisely *what* she is without ruining one of the neatest hidden surprises in the book; suffice it to say, Tailkinker to-Ennien comes from a long, long line of very interesting characters. Kagan also makes great use of the less known characters of Uhura and Chekov, fleshing them out in realistic and wonderful ways. Uhura's singing is the key to solving the plague problem in the story, as one might expect from the title, but it's also fantastic to see Chekov treated like the intelligent man he must be to pass muster as Spock's chosen protégé science officer.
This book is a great example of the strange, dangerous, and wonderful things that people can learn about others and themselves when meeting a strange new people. The Sivoans and Eaouans come off just as realistically different as Diane Duane's unique beings, with their own completely believable cultures. The interactions between the Sivoans and the Enterprise crew is equally believable--a favorite scene involves the meeting of Scotty and the feline bard Rushlight after extended conversations without the aid of visuals.
In my opinion, the Enterprise crew is portrayed very much in character, with several receiving a wonderful added depth and richness.
My only complaint I can think to level at the book is the nature of the foreshadowing: it does at times get heavy handed. But that's really a small thing in comparison to the rest. I highly recommend this book: if you've only read the more recent Star Trek novels, you might not realize what a treasure-trove of originality many of the earlier books possess.
Rating:
Summary: Not just another Trek novel!
Review: Uhura's Song was the first Star Trek novel I ever read, and almost every one since has been a disappointment. Some Trek novels can be formulaic with plots that are painfully predictable. But Uhura's Song is so much more! The alien cultures are wonderfully developed, and the original characters are delightful. If the book lacks a bit as far as technical precision goes (the portrayal of the universal translator is different here than in other Trek works, and I wonder how such a thing could exist), the author more than makes up for it by giving us characters and cultures that will not easily be forgotten. I read this book for the first time about sixteen years ago. It's the type of book that you can just randomly open to a page and start reading. Definitely my favorite of the Trek novels.
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