Book Review David, Peter: The daughter of Captain. Heyne, 1995/1998.
story: Somehow it has sensed the legendary starship captain Hikaru Sulu despite the huge distance of several light years already: his only daughter Demora took place at a foreign mission in a tragic death.
And so take all the friends and colleagues for the funeral service back on Earth. Among the mourners are found next to the producer and exquisite names like Chekov, Uhura and Harriman. Especially if the captain is the next death torn internally under his command. There are already due to death after he Starfleet icon James T. Kirk extreme feelings of guilt, it raises the death of his wife more tax out of hand, especially since he was forced to shoot suddenly gone crazy woman in manuscript.
At least he is consistent with the allegations directed at themselves as not alone. Demoras godfather Pavel Chekov provides a scandal when he becomes aggressive shortly after the funeral, and reflected the young captain. The
can compensate for the death of his godchild hardly. About the crime scene was a quarantine imposed and finally able to launch a ship further investigations might still take years.
For this reason, decides to take Captain Sulu, an investigation on your own. Contrary to the express orders of his superiors, he can rely on Ashkelon V course to study at your own risk, the exact circumstances surrounding the mysterious accident. When he finally becomes aware of the true circumstances, he finds himself overtaken by ghosts from his past ..-.
praiseworthy aspects : Already in the construction of this work makes use of the meticulous work earned the Star Trek writers Peter David noticeable. That under his generation hacks one of the first, is if not the largest share is well deserved and will start in the logical division of the book into five parts: " Part One - Death ", " Part Two - Encounter ", " Part Three - Grief "," Part Four - fatherhood "and" Part Five - life after death .
What sounds to classical five-act, housed in reality a complex web of plots on different time scales. David puts the cart before the horse here on the back, starting with the death Demoras he clarified shortly by the circumstances of their Procreation, then to embed the surprising paternity in a larger context. Then he jumps back into the actual narrative time level to fire the main plot and to explain in a recent review of the difficulties between father and daughter. At the end, trying to tell too much without a classic happy ending of the old school. This book could serve confidently in its construction as a general lesson for a good Star Trek novel, as David's work has set those high standards by which contemporary writers have to be measured.
Another clear indication of the work of David, the desire to be counted, to illuminate those areas, the deadlines are still in the dark of the official canon of a sad existence. Already in " Imzadi " he drew the beginnings of the relationship between Deanna Troi and William Riker sensitively into the limelight. For the series "Star Fleet cadets " he struggled in the three volumes " Worf's first adventure ", "Mission to Dantar " and free "survival " Worf Academy Apprenticeship of question marks.
this trend, he continued in this book and therefore are " The daughter of Captain " three more or less well-known people in the general focus of attention.
foremost, of course Hikaru Sulu - the Captain.
over the still waters at the helm of the Enterprise have been during the original series did nothing while the films know little about, and in the books too little. It would therefore be the highest railway, in particular, find that answer questions that arose during the sixth and seventh movie:
Sulu gets Why so late in his own command?
When Sulu had found the time to start a family?
What did he do before major overhaul of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 ?
All these pressing questions will find a sensible, comprehensible and the subsequent events linkable solution and also gives the reader additional information. For example, that the enthusiastic fencer was a candidate for the post of first officer of that USS Bozeman (see p. 195), which lost in a time warp, only to be freed in the next century by another enterprise (see " Déjà vu ").
good that he could not perceive this offer, after all, it has in the eyes of George Takei's and of many fans after the theatrical release of "The Undiscovered Country " and the later success of the Voyager episode " Flashback " only has one logical idea for Voyager Series: A series about the adventures of the USS Excelsior with himself in the lead role. For all the admiration for this modest attitude we all know now, of course, that it's not quite got this, and have "Enterprise" series that had the mark of Cain, with the TV-existence of gene Roddenberry's legacy was complete. So there was the "adventure Excelsior 'limited to the only format that had enough flexibility to the ship and especially his captain to leave enough space for development: the book. But not only the Excelsior deserves its own series, but also the ship on which performs the second main character in service:
Demora Sulu - The daughter of Captain.
your next Sulu is the greatest attention of the author who tries to unravel its secrets.
Under what circumstances she was conceived?
Where does her exotic name?
What happened 12 years ago, when James T. Kirk Demora met the last time?
The descriptions for the young and growing up an orphan David are particularly successful in the rest. The tension between the adventures, the Sulu saw demonstrated throughout this period and the duties of a father towards his daughter to give the character of a new Depth, which would be in the few seconds of screen presence never have been possible.
one like it was out of space for the secret in my eyes, heroes of the film and co-lead character number three:
Captain John Harriman.
About the Captain of the third, probably better fourth ship named Enterprise, opinions are so divided as the Korean Peninsula . So I oute me again!
Personally I like the character of a helpless man who is at the wrong time, wrong place. That figure, which had, in desperation, insecurity and low risk non-human, as Kirk elders in his role as Superman. Error are also just play when you sit on the chair there! People learn from them for life. In that sense I was Harriman, a welcome change even with regard to Picard, Sisko or Janeway who rarely or never gave the nakedness of losing control.
Perhaps it is also banal: Kirk was an idealized hero, in Harriman could recognize themselves. Similarly, Peter David probably thought, as the newly appointed captain of the Enterprise must remain faithful to this image and in the course of the novel continue to learn. He uses the opportunity for personal development, and if the comparison between Harriman and Pike (see p. 17) in the first moment, also very daring acts, he holds true to the end. After all, the decision between obedience and autonomy of a family returning to Pikes to Talos IV in terms of drama in anything.
addition to this triumvirate of main characters you meet with Janice Rand, Pavel Chekov and Uhura on some characters of the old guard. Other (even smaller precipitates) guest appearances by Captain Bateson (see p. 220ff.) Captain Kirk (p. 238f.) Or McCoy (see p. 193ff.) Bring a sense of familiarity.
For the facts are of course more Freak Examinierung the crew of the time-honored Zulus and the Merry Harrimen of interest.
USS Enterprise-B to touch
Among the newly introduced characters mainly Zulus unprotected one-night stand (damn, there in the future or sexually transmitted diseases or condoms?) Is relevant. The rest, especially the nasty crooks are, in their simplicity rather the perfect accompaniment to the action sequences. It has a little sense, the space sequel "Indiana Sulu" to see, because in credibility, explosion density and villains, there are clear parallels.
Maybe come the nasty opponent but also a completely different source, such as the brief allusion suggest to Thor's Hammer (see page 334), or the names of infamous figures Taine , Rogers or Thor . In the time of origin of this book is, the inclusion of David into the team recorder for the cartoon series "The Incredible Hulk " for which he designed, among other such Spiderman or Batman , the overall story. The henchmen to the Erzschufte Taine and he himself can in any event, even an origin from the milieu of the picture stories.
But not only comics, but also in Star Trek are known from David and does not hesitate to apply this knowledge to provide a time and time again demonstrated. On the one done by the almost incidentally interspersed sentences such as (p. 302) " Nature abhors a vacuum ", on the other by unambiguous references concerning the subject adequately in the first instance the classic series (eg, p. 73, p. 140 or p. 249). Besides form, as already indicated, the first seven films Important elements of the background story of this novel. Where possible, it binds even information from TNG (see p. 320ff.) And who knows, maybe Admiral LaVelle (see p. 282) indeed an ancestor of the same in " transport " freshly baked lieutenants name . Yes, even the
eleventh feature film fits into Image because the extensively described Strato capsules (see p. 119) was very reminiscent of the vehicle, was followed by the young Kirk the alternate timeline of a righteous police officers after stealing a Corvette .
Rounding out the big picture of topic. Once again uses classic Peter David namely in the drawer open to inviting episodes. Having provided " the Edge of Forever" being in "Imzadi" starter and "The planet-killer " the chassis for "Vendetta" was, mimes " shore leave" the belt for this book.
A hallmark of David's work is always his unique humor. Thus, his allusions to the Screwdriver (see p. 85f.), The name similarity Spock be a reasonably famous psychologists of the Earth p. 229, actually the rumor still persists that the first volcanic Officers of the Enterprise named after him) or the last entry under Memorable quotes living proof that even a well-structured, exciting and serious history of humor does not have to give up.
criticisms made aspects: as already mentioned, the building is magnificent. The reviews are extraordinary. The background story on the other hand is lagging behind a little so that a direct comparison.
It already starts with the fact that the opponents of Zulus who survived the violence (see p. 122ff.) Across the board. That then also the nasty Taine in Khan Same style over the years into his anger eats into itself, more than his own desire for revenge, finally losing his mind works, plotted as thick as stolen. Soap opera really feeling comes on but only when we learn that he Demora for his own daughter holds (cf. p. 321). Ugh!
Even the putative crossover with "shore leave" had tried something. Especially true when the sometimes regarded as compliance with the canons TAS-successor " fantasy or reality " in the analysis involves. There, the genetic component that attaches to the David Done, rather through technological means, in this case, robots, explains.
This reduced the high point of the story in its quality, something that fits but somehow the atmosphere " The Night of the Living Dead " but somehow fall out from the usual pattern of David. The seriousness that is still in " Vendetta," "Imzadi" or even "heroic " is plain to see that Book lost by something.
Unexpected weaknesses show up this time in the figure representation. Not to mention the lame villains Taine, is that feeling attached to one man: Chekov!
While every effort is David, Sulu to protect them from platitudes and prejudice, he can not exercise a similar effort at the Navigator.
What makes a Russian in the bar?
course, a vodka order (see p. 84ff.)!
He also occupied in the Pan-Slavic style sayings of adjacent language families (see p. 76) or presented as assaulting joyful objectors without authority view on the captain's license (see p. 175f.). Such panels should stereotypes in a work that serves to make a rarely come into the center made the character deserved attention, not necessarily emerge. The red lantern of the most neglected bridge crew member's as easy to pass on Chekov fits, just not the noble motive of this book.
As the Admiral John 'Black Jack' was Admiral Harriman ever will, I can not quite obvious. His fanaticism, his deference to authority and his command fetishism contribute to record me (p. 327ff.).
translation: The minute you read the title, must wonder,. "The daughter of Captain " - Missing since not a genitive 's'?
Such Anglicisms it is quite difficult to tell, but as it was in TNG, DS9 and Voyager handled generally so, the small letter is missing somehow. "The daughter of Captain " would certainly have been cheaper.
But perhaps that is again only an indicator of the ongoing conflict between the German language, German Star Trek synchronization and Heyne talk á la " Starfleet " (p. 13), " Medo officer ( p. 27) or "segment discussion" (p. 233). After all, I must however stress that in this book will be used "off " (p. 340) instead of " desaktivert .
can also even minor errors such as " Jenolen " (p. 165), " Plexglas " (p. 183), "The Klingon delegation had concluded the Council of the Federation and leave the earth . "(p. 259) find that have fallen by the editors. But because they are still in a manageable framework, one can chalk up to the translator but not seriously.
course, can argue about his formulations. "Captain Steep crash "(p. 249) is finally not a very accurate transmission of" Styles without substance, "adoch so at least the name remains sound get to the previous captain of the Excelsior.
The translation of " pecan log " with " log " is a much more problematic, especially if you read briefly that Demora the Wal-probe by " a fork and a large glass of milk " off does (see p. 253). Although the term " log" in connection with "pecan " as the "master the Pekannussbaumes translate, but David does not really at a candy same name, sold to in the candy store chain Stuckey's and in fact is a certain visual similarity to the strange flying object " The Voyage " has. A pretty tough nut for a translator!
Anachronisms: There it is again: the vexed subject - money!
Peter David is also faithful to the effect, as it holds, as in most of his novels, adamant on this subject set (see p. 66, p. 67, p. 68, p. 83, p. 139, p. 142 and p. 167). The highlight of this in terms of Picard's words in "First Contact " malicious allegation is without question this sentence on page 70:
" Humanity had changed over the centuries in many ways. The basic principle, however, how customers relieved of their money, had remained the same. "
This sounds more like after Ferengi, but hardly in the image, which drew Gene Roddenberry of the future of humanity.
also can be found just a few minor bugs. So it seems to me for the introduction of positron (see p. 24) is still a little early and the Occurs Boothby (p. 240) a bit far-fetched.
must also accuse you David, do not seem to have explained, "The first mission " with biographical information on the person Zulus from previous books such as "The entropy effect " or. Thus his view collides with the previous example, the fact that Hikaru's father as a poet, worked as a physicist but should have (see p. 180).
All this would in itself not worth mentioning, if not an error would affect the book.
Dmitri Valtan is in fact dead, this can be in "Flashback" is clear from . See In this book, however, benefit from this fact is not all too much attention, because the Wissenschaftsoffzier enjoys, as one can read, best of health. Apparently he has asked for a transfer after his death from the USS Excelsior and his sudden death was certainly the main reason for Zulus Explanation:
" Valtan was a good officer. But the crew was never really comfortable with him. "
course, David could not have predicted in 1995 the events of 1996 for the first time on U.S. television broadcast Voyager episode and you must add to his excuse that the farewell scene in Sulu and his crew in" The Undiscovered Country " Valtan also opposes his death occurred recently and happily waving at the camera ...
The Excelsior: The ship of the Living Dead
Conclusion: With this book, Peter David supported his special position, and the Star Trek writers. In terms of design, wit, references, basic ideas and even anachronisms he sticks to his own formula for success and brought the readers an insight into the lives of three characters who have so far been really neglected. The result is a brisk novel with high information content.
Only two criticisms diminish the reading pleasure. First, David revealed unexpected weaknesses with the characters, especially suffered by Chekov added, and the other it is not the actual background story to convince. It has a surreal, contrary to statements from CAS, it can not be maintained in terms of seriousness with the rest of the story lines step.
Memorable quotes :
" ensign, it is an old saying: If you win the hearing, you should leave the courtroom as soon as possible. "
John Harriman, p. 19
" I am pilot, not kamikaze pilots. "Hikaru Sulu
, p. 264
" wish me luck and hopes with me, that the gods who once protected James Kirk, occasionally throwing a friendly glance in my direction. "Hikaru Sulu
, p. 275
" Finally has already said Einstein, 'God may be subtle, but he did not mean evil. " I have always relied on this wisdom. "
" Einstein, soso. "
" What's going on? "
" Did not he also claimed that it was impossible to exceed the speed of light? "
" I guess even Einstein had occasional bad day. "
Hikaru Sulu and Demora, p. 260
Rating: Typical quality work with small defects.
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