Books; The Eugenics Wars...

[Dan Gurden]

Just started reading Book 1 of the Rise and fall of Khan...

What can I say... WOW. If all Trek books were this good, then they would all be canon... And havn't even finished the book yet.

All that despite Gary Seven, and the absence of any main series characters except in interlude format. All nicely woven into real historical events.

The first book covers 1974 through to 1989, so I have yet to see how the book dovetails aroound the world as we know it, or even if Voyagers view of the 90's will fit or even affect things... But I get the definate impression that this is going to be a covert conflict.

If things remain this good, these two books will be adopted as my official history of the Eugenics wars!

Anyone else read them, got any opinions???

[Thierry]

Concur the book is good. I had always wondered how Khan came about. I also wonder want the Overlay would look like.

[Diamond]

I read it. I have mixed feeling about it. The author tried too hard to fit every tiny bit of trek continuity in without paying enough attention to making the story work.

Now, I *LOVE* fitting in bits of continuity so I was suprised when I found myself starting to be put off by it. It's not just Kahn and Gary 7, it's Flint and Guinian and the marine biologist and everything. It's *cute*, but it got intrusive.

I liked the parts showing Kahn's development. The ultratechnology Gary 7 had at his back really reduced the drama. When he and his assistant were resolving things without it, the story worked for me... when they were teleporting in and out of danger it started to lose me.

[First of Two]

Just finished Book II.

It's still good!

I think some of the fun in these books lies in figuring out the non-trek references in some of Seven and his assistant's adventures.

I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil it.

I hear tell there's going to be a Book III (sort of), and it'll deal with Khan's life on Ceti Alpha VI.

[Balok]

I found these books generally good, but the bending and stretching to include many aspects of Trek continuity (and even some elements from other stories) did wear on me after awhile.

The way in which he fitted the Eugenics Wars into real world history was very deftly done. SOME of the continuity nods worked -- like the inventor of the satellite -- and some were just obtrusive, like Roberta's encounter while waiting for Seven near the Berlin wall.

That aside, I'd say that Cox wrote a good tale, framed it well, maintained good continuity, and worked in a Trek style moral lesson. By these measures, his tale is a success, and in my view a worthy addition to the novels.

(Fitting in other aspects of Trek continuity is apparently a Greg Cox quirk -- he did the same thing in his "Q" series of paperbacks, which (IMO) did not tell as good a story.)

[Highway Hoss]

I thoroughly enjoyed both novels...Greg Cox writes deftly, incorporating Trek Lore into current events with style. The concept of the Eugenics Wars being fought "behind the scenes" was a nice touch...I also liked Seven's conversation with Kirk at the end of the book...IMHO, Gary's arguments against Eugenics programs should be made required reading to all Starfleet and Federation personnel.

[Dan Gurden]

OK. Finished it.

A thoroughly good book. I will look forward to the next part.

I agree it did start becoming a 'Spot the Star Trek reference' game... But it somehow felt natural that the various stories should inter-twine...

My favourite crossover = Nana Visitor's KGB agent, the real one (From 'Our Man Bashier'), having been the victim of a Trashy western spy novel...

My least favourite crossover = Shanon O'Donnell (pre-Janeway from '11:59') working at Area 51, dreaming of going to Mars. The incidedentals of that chapter were fine, but it felt forced putting the young Kate Mulgrew in...

NOTE; If it hadn't been for Fesaurius mentioning the incident above, I wouldn't even have connected RedJac to the Berlin encounter.

The biggest kick of all;
'Maybe they would get Seven's friend McCall to 'Equalise' him.'