The Premise
The Enterprise is apart of a research mission with two other starships, and somehow get sucked into this alternate timeline where humans never evolved on Earth. Freaking out, and caught between the Klingons and Romulans in an unwinnable war, they go to the Guardian of Forever (a call back to a TOS episode) and go back in time to prehistoric Earth. Turns out, through some science I doubt stands up today, that because the astroid that was supposed to wipe out dinosaurs never hit, some species of dinosaur ended up evolving instead on humans. As evidence of this, the Guardian shows Kirk a dino absolutely shredding in a dugout canoe, which might be my favorite part.
So that was my first surprise. It's like The Good Dinosaur but with no humans and instead violent raptors that turn all Bruce in Finding Nemo when they smell blood.
Who's Our Cast?
This story centers around Kirk, Spock, and Bones with some random ensigns and two Klingon captives thrown in, SPOILER as the ship gets blown up by Romulans. Nothing wrong with focusing on the main characters, so that's all fine. We also have a second POV of one of the dinosaurs, which is interesting, but I think a perhaps overdone (to be fair I extremely dislike the POV of the aliens in these books).
Kirk Being OOC
Before the contents of this book Kirk is apparently stung by some rare scorpion on a different planet, and thus has been going through treatment, but is so stubborn he hasn't fully recovered because he refuses to rest. I had issue with this plot point, as it isn't relevant ever, and only serves to give Kirk a disadvantage and I guess increase stakes. I thought that this part was needless - if the author wanted Kirk to have some sort of injury it could have at least happened within this book. Also, Kirk spent a LOT of time yelling at his subordinates in this book. In TOS that rarely ever happens, and I remember watching TNG being taken off guard whenever Picard treated his crew like an actual captain instead of everybody's friend Kirk. Carey tries to pass this off I think partly as him being upset over his injury, but again his anger doesn't serve a real purpose, so it just makes me feel like this is super OOC. One example; "McCoy's expression softened. He nodded. 'Sorry, Captain. I understand how you feel.' Irritably Kirk clipped, 'Good for you.'" (132). Overall I think Kirk was a little too short to everyone in this novel, again, maybe it's to emphasize that he was injured but, still felt unnecessary.
Subtext
There wasn't anything extremely weird or funny in this book, so I'm just going to touch on good old Spirk, although the moments in this book were few and far between. One moment happened in the beginning, and while it was sweet, it also gave me a lot of confusion over how this book was written
"He just wore it differently" so true King. Also just the damn description. No where else is such a description given for anybody but Spock. The only question I have with this passage is that it has a sort of weird break in the POV where initially I thought the book was written in third person with a narrator, but it seems like Kirk is sort of the narrator too? This is the only passage in the ENTIRE book that breaks like that, so if this was English class, I'd say it's the author's way of emphasizing the importance of Spock to Kirk.
Another rather tender moment occurs when Kirk contemplates if the Vulcans in this new world will be swayed to their cause because Spock is on the bridge.
Ah Spock, the best of both world, the Hannah Montana of Starfleet. The way that Spock is devoted to Kirk as well. I also want to remark on the use of the word "votary" which has the more literal meaning of a nun or monk, someone devoted to religion, and the meaning that is more likely at use here - "a devoted follower". Again, invoking religion the author emphasizing the devotion that Kirk and Spock have towards one another.
This whole page is a doozy. First we have the appreciation sentence (and no where else does he say that, so I'm assuming he's told Spock that a different time). Then he falls and Spock catches him. Taken separately the two incidents might not make it onto this review, they might just be indicative of a strong friendship. But, because they are placed directly after one another, it can be taken in a more romantic sense.
One moment I found entertaining to see mentioned was a description of the classic Kirk smile, "Kirk simply gazed at him [Roth] as if they'd known each other twenty years. He could get Spock to open up this way, too, if his timing was right. Just that stare. Nose down a little, lips pursed, brows up, eyes just right" (286).
Kirk really trying the old smolder on a Klingon prisoner.
Okay, okay one more moment but only because it reminds me of Superhell in the Destiel canon - "That was Spock's voice. Were the two of them in hell together? - it figured" (386).
Deux Authors
So this novel was written by a woman (Diane Carey) and a man (James I. Kirkland). And while James' name is eerily similar to Kirk's name, there is no joke about this in the foreword. Apparently this James has a doctorate and works in paleontology, and helped Diane with the more "science" related aspects of the book. Now, I don't want to make any generalizations, but I have noticed that when a woman is the author of a Star Trek novel there is more subtext then when a man writes it. There is also less moments of sexism (something I'm definitely touching on in my review for War Drums). The reason I'm telling you all this, is because of this interesting moment from this novel, "He hated being responsible for a woman in this uncivilized place, especially one so young, who should have a future. He shouldn't have brought her. He hated to see women die" (278). There's a lot to unpack there, but here's hoping James wrote that one and not my girl Diane, because in turn, Diane would have a lot to unpack about herself. Luckily that was the only moment that I found in the novel of that caliber so, let's hope there's not more in the other books I read!
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