| Title | : | Mindshadow (Star Trek: The Original Series #27) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0671704206 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780671704209 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 252 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1986 |
Mindshadow (Star Trek: The Original Series #27) Reviews
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Mindshadow is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel #27 by J.M. Dillard. The main story should be about the Aritani, an agrarian culture in tune with their ecology, being attacked by pirates, attempting to take control of the planet’s natural resources. The Enterprise has arrived to help deflect the pirates. In the attack, Spock falls and grievously injures himself by falling from a great height and fracturing his skull. Starfleet sends a Xeno-neurologist that specializes in Vulcan neurology. She flirts with McCoy and Kirk, both vying for her affections. The main story is then co-opted by this immature rivalry, Kirk being ridiculously unreasonable about losing his first officer Spock to injury, and shipboard espionage that does not make sense. The Aritani ask the Enterprise to leave. They are prepared to lose their culture to the invading pirates rather than to have the Enterprise crew lose their lives in protecting them. If that story would have been the focus of the novel, then that story would have been much more interesting.
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This is the third Star Trek original book I've read by J. M. Dillard, along with two movie novelizations, and they've all been really good. Dillard has a great feel for the characters but doesn't stint on the conflict between them, which was always a part of the original series. I'd read a few books in the past weeks that didn't hold my interest but this one brought me back to that feeling of engagement I want from my reading. Well done.
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In response to attacks on the agrarian populace of the mineral-rich planet Aritani by unknown raiders, the Federation dispatches the U.S.S. Enterprise to provide assistance. After Spock separates from the landing party to collect data, however, he is found unconscious from a fall of hundreds of feet. In order to treat the traumatic brain injury caused by the fall, James Kirk requests the assistance of a specialist in neuropsychiatry. Yet despite her expert advice, Spock’s condition only deteriorates, leaving him unable to communicate the vital information he knows. Kirk is left to face without his friend the threat of pirates who somehow are capable of defeating Starfleet’s best defensive measures – and with a double agent aboard his ship sabotaging his best efforts to deal with the threat they pose.
J. M. Dillard’s novel was the first of over a dozen different works she would write for the Star Trek franchise. Her strengths as a writer are evident in this book, as she provides a story that nicely balances plot with character development. It’s the latter which drives the book, as with Spock absent a greater degree of interpersonal conflict emerges between Kirk and Doctor McCoy as the two compete for the affections of Emma Saenz, the comely young neuropsychiatrist introduced to the crew. Their attraction to her, however, makes for a poor explanation as to why they miss so many red flags about her character. To her credit Dillard dispenses with the mystery early on, making it clear that Saenz is more than she appears. That two such capable characters miss all of the signs, however, strains credulity, especially as the setbacks mount and the proffered explanations are too implausible to be believed. The result is frustrating: a novel with interesting elements but which falls short of catalyzing into the adventure that it seems tantalizingly close to becoming. -
It sounded so good and the beginning was promising, but the setup was just an excuse to get Spock hurt and was mostly forgotten after that. The actual focus of the story were immature problems, Kirk and McCoy constantly apologizing to each other and a twist that I feel is done in so many Star Trek books. How Spock copes with his injury was kind of interesting, but McCoy's "love" was really, really rushed and most scenes just weren't engaging. I guess I can imagine that others could have fun with this book, but most things just didn't work for me. It felt too little like Star Trek and too much like High School drama.
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Better than usual for Star Trek Expanded Universe fare.
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The Enterprise comes to the aid of the planet Aritani and it's people who have turned their back on technology and love a more pastoral life. Raiders have been destroying crops and slaughtering people yet taking nothing, scans indicate vast mineral deposits which could be the motive for the attacks. Spock receives extensive brain injuries after going on a late night recon and has to return to Vulcan and even when planetary shields are created to prevent cloaked ships from entering the atmosphere the attacks continue...
Mindshadow wasn't a bad story at all, while the book is essentially a Spock story it also explores the moral and ethical dilemma of interfering with a culture and the complications of the existing dynamic and the value of said planet. We got some good McCoy in the novel as well and it's not the first time the Doctor has been smitten by a younger woman and Scotty gets some good coverage as well, I also liked Lieutenant Ingrit Tomson the security chief who goes on to appear in other novels. -
It starts off very promisingly...but eventually, there is just too much plot, and too many machinations happening in such a short book. The result is a number of headaches following who is double-bluffing who, and a sub-plot of Vulcan with a possible love interest for Spock that isn't as successful or convincing as it could have been. That said, the command of the Original Series crew has always been Ms. Dillard's strength, and it carries this novel efficiently to its conclusion.
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Critically brain damaged after a failed mission on the planet Aritani, Spock must return to Vulcan to recover.
Kirk and his crew must struggle to peacefully resolve the political fallout of the disaster while Spock strives to recover the memories of the fateful day which left him brutalized.
Dillard's novel feels right, in that the character actions and interactions appear to have been lifted straight from the screen. -
Most of the characterisations felt very unrealistic and the plot holes were big enough to drive a starship through. Very disappointing from an author whose other Star Trek books I have mostly really enjoyed
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Once again I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this story and I was surprised that I finished it in one day. It isn't often that I can read a book in a twenty-four hour period.
While I was upset that Spock was hurt so madly and seemed to not be getting any better I held out hope that he would finally recover and become the Spock we all love so much. There is a lot going on in this book and I was somewhat disappointed that it took Spock recovering his memory so the others would figure out what is going on with the planet Aritani. I figured it out right away and the crew of the Enterprise are the best and brightest of Starfleet. I mean really. I think that the author could have done a little better with that whole plot device.
I was nice to see Amanda and Sarek again. There are times that I would like to smack Sarek upside the head but he was a little better in this story than in some of them. I enjoyed the whole part of the story with Spock on Vulcan. I know that it isn't the most peaceful place for him but it is his home and I would hope that one day he would find peace there. I do wish that everyone would get the description of the yard right. Pick a setting and stay with it. For heaven sake read the other books. I guess that is the problem with writing a book for an established world, galaxy, group, etc. You want to put your own stamp on the series. This was an interesting book and I would recommend it to those that love Star Trek. -
A thoroughly entertaining read that focuses on the crew of the Enterprise as Spock receives a possibly life changing injury, just as the Federation continues to debate whether to help a newly discovered race that's being attacked by a group of raiders who seemingly have the ability to penetrate shields.
This gave me exactly what I wanted in a Trek book: an equal focus on the big three--Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, some very interesting new characters, a return to a familiar alien world and two of its inhabitants, and some solid surprises.
Without spoiling anything, this book kept me on my toes for clues about a character's motivations, only to be surprised several times about this individual. Granted, the final twist at the end was a little too much, but it fell in line with a classic Star Trek story. One scene in the book is similar to "Journey to Babel" and I enjoyed it immensely, even if it did have a familiar twist.
This book pushed all the right buttons for me. -
As a kid, I was a big fan of J.M. Dillard's movie tie-ins, especially the ones she did for STAR TREK VI and THE FUGITIVE. But this was my first time to see her put together an original story.
When it comes to giving fans exactly what they expect from a TREK novel, MINDSHADOW ticks all the boxes. Like much of the early TREK fiction written by female authors, we again have a beautiful and highly capable new crewmember who comes aboard and initiates a love triangle with Kirk and another officer before eventually exiting the saga as the result of semi-tragic circumstances, never to be heard from again.
Though hardly memorable, the book is well-done for the most part, except for the final chapter or so, when things suddenly get over-the-top and cartoonish. Still, a decent little adventure if you've got nothing better to do. -
I've had a few Star Trek novels tucked away on my shelves for some time, and finally have gotten around to reading them. I don't know what I waited so long to return to the Star Trek universe. This is an amazing novel and could easily have been an episode of the series.
The beginning had me hooked, and I thought Spock's injury was interesting. To see him return to Vulcan was also interesting, even though it isn't a happy reunion for him. There are a lot of other major plots to follow in this novel, and most add to the mystery. The only thread that is annoying is the Kirk/McCoy battle over a love interest. It didn't really seem to fit with Star Trek, but I guess it filled in a few pages.
The conclusion doesn't tie up all the loose ends, so I'm wondering if one of the characters will appear in another novel later on. -
Well I can see why J.M. Dillard got to do more Star Trek works after this one. Definitely had a good mystery and I found it kept me guessing a little bit in to what was going on. Spock's story I found to be a good change of pace for what he usually does and McCoy having to deal with his feelings for someone else was good to. I liked the story, I liked the twists, my only complaint is that it took a little bit of time to get its footing and Scotty being accused of another murder? Really? Poor guy must have the worst criminal record...
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Spock is swiftly taken out of action, he remains that way for a good portion of the book and of course he holds the key to solving the problem at hand. It's a setting I've noticed in many early TOS novels so it has a very classic feel, which is bolstered by the familiar humour and recognisable characterisations.
I enjoyed this one even with the terrible auto-love between McCoy and his specialist. Auto-love is also a very classic trek feature. -
No idea why i decided to read one of the books of the original Star Trek crew, but here we are. Within a few pages, Spock is bopped on the head and his brain don't work any more, and Kirk is already trying to have sex with the new members of the crew, when a space babe shows up to confuse everyone.
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A lot of things going on in this book sometimes you forget the main part of the story which is suppose to be the planet Aritani , but honestly the planet isnt very prevalent in the book.
The stuff with Spock and some murder aboard the Enterprise is the majority of the story.
A good read for any star trek fan. -
I assume I read this when it first came out, but I didn't remember it. I'm still working on 2022's idea "I'm gonna reread all these ST novels that are gathering dust on my shelf!"
Meh. Yet another super-character meets the command crew of the Enterprise, and runs rings around them until the end, when she mysteriously moves on, leaving broken hearts behind. -
These Star Trek novels are really fun to read, especially if you know the characters, and who doesnt? Spock has a fall that has unsettled his mind, or is there more to it? McCoy and Kirk fall for the same woman. There's a lot of falling in this novel. Will Spock get his mind back? Well worth a read even if your not a Treckie.
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The first of many books written by Dillard for Trek, this balances characters and story nicely, despite neither of them adding up to much. It covers a lot of Trek ground adequately - without an excess of Trek Bingo - feeling like a run-of-the-mill episode, but it builds up some great suspense for the climax.
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I liked the overall plot and thought it was a good espionage thriller. For the most part, I was enjoying it, but the love triangle was dumb. It was completely pointless to start drama with McCoy and Kirk. I don't know why the novels do this so often. Other than that, it's a fun story.
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3.5/5
- Romulans!!
- and murders
- Spock acquires a disability (yet again) and has his separate adventure for half the book
- Amanda & Sarek are there :)
- nicely characterised Kirk
- plot is a bit slow and the love triangle... meh -
I did actually enjoy this one, even though it was painfully clear from the beginning who was responsible for what was going on. It's also possible that was intentionally made obvious by the author as there were a few twists connected to the person later and making one "twist" easy to figure helps hide others behind it. If that's the case, well done!
The main original character was quite interesting and pretty well fleshed out. There is an incredibly stupid "rivalry" between McCoy and Kirk for her affections, but the Kirk part feels tacked-on just to manufacture some drama. It didn't work, as only eyerolls were forthcoming.
The heart of this story is Spock's injury and how he and everyone else deals with it (or doesn't). Those were the parts of the book I found the most engaging and the main reason for the rating.
This was a very easy read, zoomed through in a few hours one day. -
Mindshadow's plot involves the Romulans scheming in order to... you are going to have to read the novel to find out, but it's always fun to find out what the Romulans are yet again up to this time around. Mindshadow is the second novel that I have read by J.M. Dillard (the first being Demons), and I have to admit that I prefer Demons. Demons does a lot to break the characters of The Original Series of Star Trek out of their shells, whereas Mindshadow does little to show new dimensions to the characters, which is a failing. A Star Trek novel (especially a The Original Series novel, since, in my opinion, it and Enterprise are the two Star Trek shows that focus the least on character development) should be an opportunity to experience the franchise and its characters in a new way, to break outside of the limitations of the TV series, and Mindshadow does not do much in the way of accomplishing this. Like the TV series, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are front and center while other characters such as Uhura, Sulu, Chekov (whose name Dillard consistently misspells as Chekhov), Scotty, and Chapel are marginalized. Out of said marginalized characters, Scotty receives the most attention, but characters that I personally love such as Uhura and Chapel are essentially silenced, as the novel focuses far too much attention on the trio. Kirk is his usual womanizing, arrogant self, and he allows a romance with another woman to seed even though he knows that McCoy, one of his best friends, loves her. If, in fact, you are like me and don't care much for Kirk (there seem to be so few of us), you will be rewarded by one particular scene between McCoy and Kirk when they are in a bit of a verbal dispute, and McCoy tells Kirk something that I want to but obviously never can. Where Dillard scores points, however, is both her use of description and her portrayal of her own original characters, such as Anitra of Demons, Ingrit Tomson of multiple works by Dillard such as Mindshadow, Demons, and Bloodthirst, and Emma Saenz of Mindshadow. Dillard is skilled at helping the reader enter the setting of the story via visual description, and her characters are also made quite real for the reader. Mindshadow is a fun read for Trekkies, but I just wish that it weren't so conventional; it seems like it would make a very good two-part episode of the TV series, but it makes an average novel, something that, again, should be doing a lot more than this novel does to break out of the shell of the TV series.
