Star Trek

by James Blish

Book Overview

paperback book This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553138669
• ISBN13: 9780553138665
• Release Date: February 1974
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Age Range: 11 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 12

Customer Reviews

Adaptations of 6 episodes, 2 from each season

First published in 1974, these short stories are Blish's adaptations of the screenplays of various episodes from the original series. The episodes aren't sorted into books according to either chronological order or identity of screenwriter. "The Alternative Factor" (episode 21, season 1, screenplay Don Ingalls). Personally, I always think of this episode as 'What of Lazarus?', one of Kirk's final lines. While surveying an uninhabited planet, ENTERPRISE experiences the first of a series of tremendous disturbances, during which apparently everything in existence *ceases* to exist for an instant - and in which Lazarus, a human-appearing alien, appears on the planet. He claims to be pursuing a great evil, although nothing else seems to be around. After he's taken to ENTERPRISE's sickbay, the truth begins to emerge: that there are two apparently identical Lazaruses, one each from a different universe; that one is insane, wanting only to destroy the other; that if they ever meet in either universe, both universes will be destroyed; and that a meeting seems inevitable. Despite the ENTERPRISE's help, the real hero of this story is Lazarus - one of them, at least. "The Empath" (episode 63, season 3, screenplay Joyce Muskat) ENTERPRISE arrives in the Minaran system to retrieve a research team before the star goes nova; stellar activity forces the ship to leave the away team - Kirk, Spock, McCoy - alone on planet for a time. Except that they're not alone: a previously unknown superpower race, the Vians, have arranged a meeting between the away team and a mute empath, whom McCoy names 'Gem', who can heal with a touch - although she herself must experience the injuries to do so. The away team learns that the researchers have been tortured to death by the Vians for some reason connected with Gem - but the Vians appear detached rather than sadistic, so something more is obviously going on, as the Vians shift their focus to the ENTERPRISE team. "The Galileo Seven" (episode 14, season 1, screenplay Simon Wincelberg and Oliver Crawford; the latter contributed to "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" and "The Cloud Minders"). An episode designed to reveal character, along the lines of "The Naked Time". The situation: Spock is dispatched with a crew of 6 - including Scotty - aboard the shuttlecraft GALILEO to comply with a standing order to investigate quasar-like phenomena to avoid delaying ENTERPRISE's urgent assignment to deliver medical supplies. A combination of factors brings about the crash of the GALILEO on an uninhabited planet while simultaneously causing ENTERPRISE to lose contact, so the GALILEO's crew with their limited resources must scramble to ensure rescue before ENTERPRISE is forced to leave the area on its medical mission - awaiting the ship's return might be a fatal delay. "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" (episode 62, season 3, screenplay Jean Lisette Aroeste; see also "All Our Yesterdays"). ENTERPRISE is to transport Medusan ambassador Kollos, h

Another great Star Trel must have!

Star Trek 10 consists of six fascinating episodes from the original TV show. In this book, Spock will go insane, Kirk discovers an empath, and more. This book is great for any fan of the TV show.