Prime Directive (Star Trek)

Starfleet's most sacred commandment has been violated. Its most honored captain is in disgrace, its most celebrated starship in pieces, and the crew of that ship scattered among the thousand worlds of the Federation...

Thus begins Prime Directive, an epic tale of the Star Trek^® universe. Following in the bestselling tradition of Spock's World and The Lost Years, Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens have crafted a thrilling tale of mystery and wonder, a novel that takes the Star Trek characters from the depths of despair into an electrifying new adventure that spans the galaxy.

Journey with Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the former crew of theStarship Enterprise ^TM to Talin -- the planet where their careers ended. A world once teeming with life that now lies ruined, its cities turned to ashes, its surface devastated by a radioactive firestorm -- because of their actions. There, they must find out how -- and why -- this tragedy occurred and discover what has become of their captain.

The latest addition to the Star Trek canon revolves around violation of the Prime Directive forbidding interference with alien cultures. Instead of stopping a nuclear war on Talin IV, Captain Kirk has apparently triggered Armageddon: a devastated world now bears the name "Kirk's Planet." The Enterprise is a crippled hulk, and her senior officers have left Starfleet in disgrace. But Kirk and his comrades are determined to restore their honor by finding out what really happened on Talin IV. Excessive use of frames and flashbacks complicates the story line, a flaw offset by strong presentation of the bonds among the Enterprise crew. The intricate Star Trek universe is handled well, especially in an amusing subplot putting Sulu and Chekov aboard an Orion pirate ship. While this installment is unlikely to attract new readers to the series, Trekkies will not be disappointed.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.