Chapter By Chapter (usually) features me reading one chapter of the selected book at a time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as a read-along book club.
So here we go. Last week I revealed the 23rd book in the Chapter By Chapter review series, and this week the review begins. Check out the reveal post for why I picked this up and the history of the author.
Vulcan is one of the few repeat visit planets in the Star Trek franchise and has appeared in almost every series. Voyager and Prodigy take place in another quadrant so that would be difficult, and I don’t know about the other shows. It has shown up in The Original Series, The Animated Series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and I think Star Trek: Discovery. Even the movies have been there thanks to Star Trek III and the first reboot movie…that decided to blow it up just to let you know this wasn’t daddy’s Star Trek. I think that’s the point I stopped caring about the “Kelvin Timeline”. I still have yet to get a proper “Kirk’s first mission” story that I like, and that includes the Enterprise: The First Adventure novel.
I don’t think we’re getting there this chapter because first we need to set up the medical emergency that gets them to Vulcan, as mentioned in the back cover blurb. So let’s go see how Kirk and company got beat up this time and which redshirt bought it. Or almost buys it, because otherwise we wouldn’t have a story.
We start chapter and story in the middle of a battle with the Klingons over disputed space. While the Enterprise wins, the ship takes on serious damage and will need to go to a spacedock for repairs. During the battle, weapons control on the bridge is damaged so Kirk calls for Chekov in damage control, and for a moment I thought he was going to be the injured party, making this personal for the crew. Instead it’s a young officer named Remington who gets a strong enough shock to damage his nervous system. Spock later confirms by mind meld his mind is in there but his body is paralyzed, a living death because when I say “body” I mean he can’t even blink. It’s interesting that they’re not using one of the regular characters but making up a character to bring Kirk to Vulcan for the story to happen. They also take three surviving Klingons captive, so I’m waiting to see how this comes into play before the novel ends.
That’s one interesting thing about this chapter. It shows Kirk isn’t just in this to beat up Klingons and hook up with space women. You see his concern for the crew under his care. By not using one of the regular cast it shows that he’d go to the lengths he’ll go into this story for any of his crew, not just his friends. Remington reminds him of a young Jim Kirk, as apparently every new cadet out of Starfleet does. This does a great job of humanizing Kirk as he deals with the human cost of the battle. Four people died, a bunch injured, and Remington paralyzed. This is just the first chapter and already Lorrah shows an understanding for the characters below the surface. McCoy is disappointed in his not being able to help Remington, and worried that in saving his life he doomed the kid. Spock is reluctant to do a mind meld traditionally but has no problem doing so to see if Remington is still “in there”, and even he needs a drink when he discovers he is. It’s a great start.
Spock also reveals that the Vulcan Academy Of Science is currently testing a nerve regeneration procedure that might save Remington from his fate. Apparently there’s a new process that is still undergoing experimentation and not ready to publicize. The doctor, Daniel Corrigan, even tried it on his own rapid aging condition. Spock only knows of this because Amanda, his mother, is also part of the experiment (so it’s reached human…humanoid(?) trial) due to having a reaction to living in space. All three of our patients have different medical situations that this process is apparently able to treat…if it truly works. This could heal Remington, if the doctor and his assistant, a Vulcan healer named Sorel, accept him. Still, it’s the only chance they’ve got and the ship needs repairs. Spock only learned of this before the battle and wanted McCoy to attend as well, and since Kirk is also not only his friend but a friend of the family, he’ll be invited as well. It shows how strong the bond is between these three.
One chapter in and I’m already excited for this story. Next time we’ll see what happens when they get to Vulcan.
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