Chapter By Chapter> Star Trek: The Vulcan Academy Murders chapter 22

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.

Last time we got more evidence of a murder, but not much of an investigation. This is turning out to be more of a procedural with personal drama than a mystery story. I’m okay with that, mind you, but best to know that going in. We have two suspects unless the story has a last minute surprise in store, but we’re in the last third of the book, chapter 22 out of 35. If there’s a surprise coming it better get here soon or it’s going to mess with the story. And if not then we’re back to two suspects.

It’s been said that male writers and female writers approach a story differently, at least in a general sense. While I’m sure someone even more book hungry than myself can point to exceptions, typically men are more into action and women into relationships, and I totally admit I’m probably going broad strokes there. (I know one or two woman authors are in the readership now and then who are able to tell me I’m a moron. I just hope I don’t come off as sexist because that’s the internet right now.) So Lorrah, a woman, has been focusing more on developing Spock and Sarek’s formerly strained bond without Amanda’s presence. That allows them to be open with each other without her “interference” for lack of a better word. She’s also focused on the personal drama with Daniel and Sorel’s family, whether it’s Daniel’s being part of T’Zan’s funeral or his currently strained connection with T’Mir or Sendet’s desire to merge his house with Sorel’s for status reasons. Eleyna has been basically in the background but not so much that her presence and connections to this case aren’t there.

The mystery itself isn’t taking center stage, but nothing about the title or blurb immediately brings the idea of a Sherlock Holmes style mystery story. Unlike Prime Directive, where I thought the namesake order would play more of a role–or ANY role beyond one play to get a planet needed help, nothing about the title insists the mystery take prominence. In the end it’s been more of a backdrop for the personal drama and that’s been okay up to now. However, there’s still a promised murder story whether it’s procedural or something for the readers to solve, so we need to get that into action soon. Let’s see if this installment’s chapter has signs of that.

Okay, it’s not anything to do with the mystery. However, for the sake of the human and romantic drama that may or may not be at the heart of the story (depending on whether the culprit is Sendet or Eleyna) it was imperative that this chapter take place.

T’Mir takes Daniel home not just to rest, but as Sorel was probably hoping she and Daniel talk through the events. While Daniel has been worried that she might not accept him and his illogical human mind, T’Mir was afraid that Daniel might reject her due to her misunderstanding, even briefly, the self-guilt he had over T’Zan’s death, even in the heat of the moment of him being smacked aside by a species stronger than your average Vulcan. She feels like she dishonored him and her own family in her naiveté, and hopes he can forgive her, just as he was worried he wouldn’t be forgiven and lose a friend as well as a potential wife.

I’ve not had a decent romantic relationship, and without Daniel’s deaging situation I worry I may never do so at my age even though I’ve always wanted a wife and children of my own. I’m not going to dig into that and I don’t know what God has in store for me, but my point is not sympathy but noting I don’t exactly have extensive knowledge in successful marriages or even anything beyond platonic friendships, so take what I say here for what it’s worth. Going by couples I’ve seen in both reality and fiction, plus any commentaries I’ve seen from pastors to self-help gurus speaking on the subject, communication is very important in a marriage. They say that a lot on the talk shows. This is something Daniel and T’Mir had to figure out, and when they do they are able to bond even without witnesses. Once again Lorrah gives a perspective in the “mindscape” if you will. We see how they see each other and so do they. When they kiss this time, T’Mir finally understands the significance. It may not be the mystery but it is a must-have scene and this was the best place to put it.

There was also the Vulcan culture aspect. Was T’Mir trying to avoid the pon’farr ritual or was she honestly going towards Daniel, her longtime crush? The answer is the latter and that’s the final barrier. By the rules of Vulcan society they are now married, bonded mentally for life. I wonder how a human mind react to losing a bondmate versus what we saw with Sorel?

This should be it for the family drama, though. Sendet loses, but is he the killer? Does Eleyna suck at targeting Amanda? Is there another reason they or someone else may be behind the two murders and concerns of a third? I think this story has gone as far as it can with the personal dramas otherwise. Sorel and Soton are perfectly okay with this, and the rest of their extended family accepted him. I don’t think the story can really explore Spock and Sarek’s relationship any further since they will meet up again in the movie period, where Amanda is alive so she isn’t biting it here. This is during the TV show’s period, possibly between the live-action and animated series. The fire and resulting medical emergency is over outside of Spock’s recovery from surgery, and Vulcans heal fast or at least ignore McCoy’s advice until he asserts his authority, like the last time McCoy worked on Sarek. We have to be getting into the investigation now, right? Find out next chapter.