Everyone has heard of this trial. However, until I heard this rendition of the trial and play I wasn't as interested. This play sheds new light on it and makes it so much more interesting and actually brought it to life for me.

This book makes my "Dreck of Trek" list for its absolutely abominable "Messiah" ideas that are based on negative stereotypes of Mohammed and Islam that will make modern Muslims cringe -- yet another "let's make Spock act totally out of character" story. If it wasn't so well-written otherwise, it would get one star. But it does have some interesting characters and twists, so I won't trash it completely. Definitely not a hack novel, but not one that I really enjoyed, either.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the novel (I read it in less than a week). It was a good story and certainly entertaining. The only problem was that, in my mind, it seemed like an alternative version of James Blish's "Spock Must Die" novel. It seems the Star Trek novels of the 1970's just couldn't focus on anyone else but Mr. Spock and/or Captain Kirk. There were other people on board the USS Enterprise. Unfortunately, the book just was not outstanding enough.

I read it when it first came out and I wish it were currently in print so I could get my friends to buy copies.

The most significant point that the others have made (IMHO) is simply that it isn't anything like a modern Trek novel.

Star Trek characters are traditionally portrayed as various American-value sterotypes a-la Lensmen novels, and all of the modern novels rely on these stereotypes, as well as familiarity with the characters to avoid spending time on character development.

In this case, the authors captured just enough of that dull style to make the book "feel" like a Star Trek novel, BUT also managed to get in significant character development -- of the kind that will give those hard-core trivia-swapping fans serious nighmares.