Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 1

Star Trek: The Great Adventures, Book 1

Adapted by James Blish

Bantam Books

ISBN: 0-553-12591-5

4 stars

I want to start off by saying that to really enjoy these Star Trek books, you need to be a fan or have at least watched the original series by Gene Roddenberry. It’s assumed you’re familiar with the characters and their personalities, and that you will willingly suspend disbelief from beginning to end.

It’s a collection of seven short stories and each is an episode with the requisite crisis and the no name guy who always dies on the away mission. Aliens and new planets abound and Spock and McCoy are still at odds. Kirk, good old Kirk. He’s the ladies man, the no nonsense captain, and the last word on the Enterprise. And, bonus, he sounds like William Shatner in my head thanks to the show!

Here’s what I liked best about these books besides being the fun and quick reads that they are — the tag lines on each which I plan to share because they’re amusing.

Book 1 – Seven tales of intergalactic intrigue

Book 2 – The ultimate trip to worlds beyond

Book 3 – Seven eerie excursions

Book 4 – Dazzling exploits by the dynamic crew of the Enterprise

Book 5 – More thrilling adventures

Well, the fifth is not as entertaining but each title made me giggle and the artwork on each is so retro with floating heads and cheesy moons that it screams Star Trek. I’m finding these short tales very fun and a great little treat for lunch time and train reading. As a side note, in book 3, The Trouble with Tribbles episode makes an appearance. I can’t wait.