Customer Reviews (12)

Not Free SF Reader
This is second of Shatner's original series of cops and robbers, or cops and drug dealers, in the future.

Jake Cardigan is back on the case, and as a good tough guy detective, he now has a girl, and some more bad guys to deal with.In this case, the druglords involved with dealing the dangerous substance Tek.Not as good as the first book.

Retread of "Tekwar", worth reading but not by much
This book, the sequel to "Tekwar", was a disappointment. Some of the plot devices that I found unique and interesting in "Tekwar" were repeated and were very dull the second time around. Furthermore, the ending was much too low-key for a book of this type. Jake Cardigan and his partner Sid Gomez spend over 200 pages chasing the principals of a major criminal syndicate and it all ends with some simplistic and obvious events.
There was also no further development of the characters; each behaves exactly as they did in the previous book. I don't know whether it was due to it being the second time around or if the dialog in this book was weaker than the first, but it seemed wooden and predictable. At times, comments appeared to have been meant to be a joke, I don't know whether that was the case or the statements were just poorly constructed.
Nevertheless, I did read it through and was at times interested in what was going on. Therefore, despite the many weaknesses, I still give it three stars. It is worth reading, although I would never put out the money to buy it.

Tekwar II, the adventure continues
In the second novel of Shatner's "Tek" series, future sleuth Jake Cardigan is back and trying to rebuild a life with his new girlfriend Beth. The Tek lords have been busy though, and have created a new and deadly weapon,a synthetic plague, in order to blackmail world leaders into permitting Tek. Jake's search for the cause, and cure of the plague lead him through the usual deadly adventures to a climactic battle with an unexpected enemy in Japan.

Much like the first "Tek" novel, this is a fast paced sci-fi/mystery that doesn't go overboard on the plot development. Which is A-ok, becuase it's not meant to be a deep or meaningful novel in any way, shape, or form. It's got a lot to enjoy though, with non-stop adventure, a budding romance, and an edge of mystery that will keep the pages turning. If you enjoyed 'Tekwar', than you won't be disappointed with 'Teklords'.

Another Solid Tek Adventure
In the second novel of Shatner's "Tek" series, future sleuth Jake Cardigan is back and trying to rebuild a life with his new girlfriend Beth.The Tek lords have been busy though, and have created a new and deadly weapon,a synthetic plague, in order to blackmail world leaders into permitting Tek.Jake's search for the cause, and cure of the plague lead him through the usual deadly adventures to a climactic battle with an unexpected enemy in Japan.

Much like the first "Tek" novel, this is a fast paced sci-fi/mystery that doesn't go overboard on the plot development.It's got a lot to enjoy though, with non-stop adventure, a budding romance, and an edge of mystery that will keep the pages turning.If you enjoyed 'Tekwar', than you won't be disappointed with 'Teklords', and Shatner continues to do a great job developing his reluctant hero Jake Cardigan.

Fun to read sequel to Tekwar.
Shatner does it again.I enjoyed TEKWAR so much that I thought I see is Shatner and friends could do it 2 in a row.They (he?) did!I don't know if Shatner really wrote these or not.All I care is that the final product is excellent.

Jake, Gomez and Beth investigate a virus that is related to Tek and Jake naturally suspects the Tek Lords.This is episode 2 of 9, that I know of.The first 5 have been read and they are fast paced, humorous and fun.

Wow.The other reviews here are tough.As far as cardboard character comments are concerned, they may be for some.But I liked the movie TWISTER, and the critics said this was a bad movie because of its cardboard characters.Did you like Twister?then maybe cardboard does bother you when everything is good.Do you like fast paced mysteries set in a futuristic world?You may find this shocking but I also like Star Wars. A lot of critics don't think much of SW books either.

Read tek war first.If you like it, try Tek Lords. ... Read more

Product Description
Star Trek's Captain Kirk is back, with another fast-paced adventure for the future's greatest private detective, Jake Cardigan. Best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, William Shatner has created a whole new career for himself as a suspensenovelist--and his bestselling Tek series has been hailed by The Wall Street Journal for novels "as tough and scrappy as Captain Kirk."Walt Bascom is head of the Cosmos Detective Agency, and therefore is Jake Cardigan's boss. As Tek Kill opens, Walt is having a bad morning: five police officers broke into his house, threw him out of bed, and arrested him for murder. The video security system at the home of wealthyentrepreneur Dwight Grossman clearly shows Bascom shooting Grossman in the back. And telephone records show that Grossman had been making threatening phone calls to a former girlfriend--a woman now involved with Bascom.Despite what looks like an open-and-shut case against Bascom, Jake and his partner Sid Gomez must find a way to clear the boss's good name--and find the real killer. They have allies: Jake's son, Dan, is friendly with Grossman's sister, Susan. And Susan Grossman has been having flashes oftelepathy, including visions of her brother's murder that does not feature Walt Bascom. She's frightened, but she's prepared to testify in court about what she believes.Unfortunately, Susan Grossman is a user of the deadly drug Tek. The choice facing the police is obvious: they can believe what they see with their own eyes on videotape, or they can believe a known drug user who claims to have telepathic visions. Jake and Sid can see that they have a lot of workahead if they're going to get the boss out of jail and back to the office. And the person who went to such trouble to make Walt Bascom look like a murderer is hardly likely to sit back and let them do their jobs without making an effort to put them off the trail--a deadly effort. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

While still formulaic, it has some of the better dialog in the "Tek" series
In this installment of the Tek series, Jake Cardigan and Sid Gomez are tracking down the conspirators that managed to create a fake video that shows their boss, Walt Bascom killing a man. The trail is varied, parallel when the two split up and involves Bascom's daughter Kacey. Her involvement generates the best dialog in the book, as some of the banter between Kacey, her father and Jake is humorous. Another high point is when Gomez meets with an old friend, a sharp shooting stripper named Marney. Following the formulaic nature of the Tek books, a Tek cartel is behind the difficulties, people are routinely killed and at the end Jake and Sid shoot it out with the bad guys.
This is one of the better books in the Tek series, the dialog has a little more style and humor and the plot moves a little better. However, this is still one of the books that you read in bed late at night to tuck your mind away for the evening.

A fantastic read
Another hit in the "Tek" series. On the edge excitement from page 1 to the last.

A fantastic read
Another hit in the "Tek" series. On the edge excitement from page 1 to the last. ... Read more

Product Description
Young Jim Endicott has but one dream -- to attend the Solis Space Academy, the gateway to the stars and the far-flung civilization known as the Confederation.But unbeknownst to Jim, he has a secret encoded in his DNA.A secret that threatens an empire.

Jim's Academy application sets of an explosive chain of terror, hurling the young man into an adventure beyond his wildest dreams.With the help of a beautiful fellow outlaw named Cat, who is as tough as she is tender, Jim begins to unravel the shocking truth about his own origins -- and uncovers the fatal deception that has split a bitter humanity into warring factions bent on mutual annihilation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Do a little Macro research too!
I was interested to see in the credits, that Shatner did some research into micro science, i.e., nanotechnology and DNA. However, he missed looking into the macro science of geostationary satellites. A geosynchronous satellite CANNOT be placed over San Francisco. Nor can it be at 350 miles, nautical or standard. The only position(s) for such satellites is in a ring at approximately 22,300 miles over the earth's equator.

The space elevator in SF is not a new concept. Arthur C. Clarke's "The Fountains of Paradise" is the first SF reference I know of. The center of mass for the whole elevator system must be at ~22,000 mile point. A platform could be placed anywhere along the path from ground to mass center point, 350 miles up, for example. It still couldn't be anchored at San Francisco.

An Interstellar Search and Pursuit
Delta Search is the first novel in the Quest For Tomorrow series.This SF series for young adults is about a gene engineered child, James Endicott, who is being sought by Delta, both a man who is James' biological father and a shadowy government agency with an interstellar reach.Delta had caught his mother when he was an infant, but James was rescued by Carl, who was a friend of his mother and knows about the altered genetic coding.

In this novel, Jimmy lives with Carl and Tabitha on the Terran colony Wolfbane.On his sixteenth birthday, Jimmy is given a Stiron und Ritter .75 rocket pistol like Carl's and an adult permit to the training range.Jimmy presents his application to the Space Academy to Carl and Tabitha for their approval, but Carl tells him that he can never apply.He is still determined to gain admission to the Space Academy, so he transmits the application despite Carl's orders.

Later, Jimmy confesses his actions to Carl and is surprised at the reaction:Carl tells them to pack everything they need to leave the planet.He also tells Jimmy to wear his S&R .75 from now on.Carl does fill him in on part of the situation and Tabitha tells him more.Then the raiders hit their cabin.

This novel is more of an escape and evasion plot than anything else, but it is also the tale of James Endicott's coming of age.He now knows that he is being hunted relentlessly and later learns that the hunter is Delta.In his flight, he meets Cat Thibaudeaux, who takes him under her wing.

This novel was apparently written in collaboration with William T. Quick, who has also written Systems, a fairly interesting SF novel.This novel, however, does not have the complexity of Quick's other novels.

Recommended for young adults and anyone else who enjoys relatively simple plots in a SF setting.

There's better science fiction out there
From other reviews I had read, I had high hopes for "Delta Search." This book didn't meet those expectations at all. The story is contrived and overused, the characters are unrealistic and unattractive, and the ending was inane. This is what one gets when reading the pop culture junk that pervades our society. Please don't waste your time on this book like I did. There are plenty of other great books out there to be found. Now if you are looking for a good novel along a similar line with realistic characters and an engaging story line, I would recommend "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card instead.

Quest For Tomorrow is a great trilogy!
I think this is a great book and William Shatner is a very good author.This is the first book i read that is by him, and i'm getting a good impression.... Can't wait till the next two come out.

This book is easily the best book i've ever read.
I would reccomend this book for ages 12-Adult. Its an amazing book, combining spetacular action scenes and a thick plot. I am a heavy sci-fi reader, and if you like sci-fi, You'll love this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This book isn't as bad as others are making it out to be...
...but, that doesn't mean that the book doesn't have it's flaws.

First, the book isn't really an autobiography since Shatner did little, if any, actual writing.The book is mostly filled with quotes of him taken from either direct interviews or from his own personal tapings.To that end, it's really just transcripts of him talking.That isn't necessarily a bad thing--he has some very insightful things to say, but for those looking for a "First I was born, then I did this, and then I did this..." kind of thing, then you won't find it here.

Second, the authors seem to take an inordinantly long time to actually say anything.Then, when they do, it's really just a rehashed version of something they already said.The portions of the book in which Shatner actually speak are jewels that define the legend of Shatner.Unfortunately, the authors didn't include nearly enough from the man himself.Was this a book about Shatner, or about how much the authors actually like to write?

Lastly, the reviewers who write about him spouting off about his sexual prowess, among other things, must have read another book.I almost DIDN'T buy the book because of the bad reviews, but I'm glad I didn't listen to those folks.I didn't find that Shatner was anything like the chauvanist others have implied.Shatner comes across as eloquent, charming, and funny.

So, buy this book and make up your own mind, and the included pictures are a real treat!Even some of his own family members haven't seen some of the pictures included in this book!

Oh Dear!!!
(...)While Shatner seemed to be basking in this attempt at immortality via a biography that actually told you very little about the man himself - only alluding to his supposed sexual prowess and being an excellent example on how some fawn over him - Marshak and Culbreath did a fine job of totally failing to invent a sexual legend with their overly shallow attempt at Californian sexual pseudo-psychobabble.

The book is so awful, it is worthy of cult status I guess, and a must for all those collectors of pulp trash and literary oddities. It nearly killed my appreciation for the actor back in 1979, but Shatner's own descent in to shallowness finally euthinazed any respect I had for his work, and for the man himself back in the late '80's. Apart from a couple of Star Trek novels back in the late seventies, we have been blessed with the beaming up and dissappearance of Marshak and Culbreath since then. But yet, if you do come across a tattered copy going for 50c in a garage sale somewhere, buy it. It'll be worth the giggle at least.

....I wonder if Marcy Lafferty still has her copy.....?

This book is not by William Shatner, but maybe it should be
There is no scale for this book, which is not written by William Shatner. It is written by Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath, who, judging from this writing, are the worst hacks ever to invade the Star Trek quadrant.

It might as _well_ be written by Bill--it's so over-the-top that Bill would not shrug his shoulders in denial at having been responsible for it.

This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read, and I have read possibly close to a million by now.

Bill, in his "Star Trek Memories," does not shy away from the italics, but these women employ them almost every paragraph, almost in an italics-as-punctuation style.

Possibly the worst thing about the book is that every time Star Trek is mentioned, it's spelled in all caps, as in STAR TREK.Considering that it's mentioned about 12 times per page, STAR TREK gets a little tiresome, to say the least

Here's some sample atrocious writing:

"Some part of that victory has been won by the kind of artist and the kind of man who is willing to put himself on the line for the kind of art he believes in and the kinds of things he wants to say."

Whaaaa????

"Shatner has done that, and it has cost him. And he has also done the hard-boiled, feed-the-family choices."

Is this tripe for real? One wonders whether Shatner was sharing his ample fruits in the same large bed with these authors at the time the book was written.

Don't believe the reports that this book is "hard to find"... or rather, DO believe them. It's hard to find because most conscientious buyers of this book will have destroyed their copy a long time ago and seen to it that its remains were disposed of as "toxic waste."

Buy this book at your own risk of losing many, many precious brain cells. ... Read more

Product Description
"Everyone's favorite starship captain has boldly gone where he has never ventured before!"--Wall Street Journal.. William Shatner now turns his talent to a stunning novel of future shock--drug wars in the Los Angeles of the 21st century. HC: Putnam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Good work by Goulart
I enjoy the TekWar novels very much. Ron Goulart's stories are crisply written and smartly paced.

I mean...you guys all know Shatner only provided the plots, right? Ron Goulart is the one deserving of your praise here. Anytime you see a book with William Shatner as the author, go check the acknowledgments. When he thanks an author for their "assistence", that's usually the person actually doing the writing.

Not Free SF Reader
Tekwar was almost passable.A futuristic story based around a conflict between drug dealers of the substance Tek, and the detective/cop types that try and stop them.With very human androids, to boot.

A cop that had been framed for such a drug deal is reactivated out of his statis prison and given a mission to find a missing man.

Futuristic Drug War
William Shatner paints a bleak picture of what the future might be; full of crime bosses, corrupt law enforcement, and rundown living arrangements.Amidst this backdrop, he presents us with Jake Cartigan; an antihero's hero.His situation is similar to the Demolition Man; awaking up from a cryogenic sleep.How's this for a twist?He soon discovers that his wife has divorced him whilst he was frozen.He has been released from his prison sentance in order to end a war that was started several years ago and for which he became ensnared in the process.The aply named drug known as Tek is the future's version of LSD except the user controls the elctronically generated fantasy.Jake must try to stop this war while at the same time deal with his former wife, protect a professor's daughter and regain his former reputation.The novel is fast paced and quite colorful in the language department.The idea of highly advanced androids acting as suicide bombers is original and the discovery that the daughter is only an android herself is a bit of a shocker.It is a farely decent literary work and scifi fans should pick this one up.Just don't use the "new" Spanish phrases you'll learn along the way.

Not bad
This is a decent sci fi story, and add a half star if you like william shatner.

Very easy read, and isnt too bad...
I find this book mildly interesting... it isnt enough to be able to not put down, but I do find myself wishing I was reading it when I am working or something.
you could say, Very decent book.
Well worth the 2 bucks I paid at a used book store.
I plan on getting a sequel or another Shattner book... just for the fact it was Shattner, I almost gave it a 5... but... it isnt fair to all the other authors.
It is defineatly good... if he wasnt famous from acting (or, I mean, act-ing... SPOCK!)... (sorry, I had to.... I AM OUT OF MY VULCAN MIND (yes, that was bones... but I dont care)) he would still be a talented author. ... Read more

Product Description
A behind-the-scenes look at the life and career of William Shatner details his stormy relationships with fellow Star Trek cast members, his own encounter with extraterrestrials, his personal life, and more. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

If faint praise is damnation...
Then faint damnation must be praise.Although written with marginal competence (the arguments are often specious and/or circuitous), this attempted hatchet job at the (in)famous pop culture icon actually revealsan intelligent, thoughtful, and thoroughly (self)tormented individual whotried to be the next Olivier but happened to wind up as a nationalpunchline instead.How must the man feel?That it is a question of anyimportance to me actually gives Captain Quirk some value, which it wouldnot ordinarily achieve from either a journalistic or literary point ofview.

A screamingly funny unauthorized bio of William Shatner
This is a must for any Star Trek fan.It is a completely unauthorizedbiography of William Shatner, or "Captain Quirk," as the cameracrew called him behind his back.Here are the elements of Shatner's careerwe've all been hearing about:the arrogance, the humanity, the overacting,the fine acting, the hairpiece. To be fair, William Shatner does notget to tell his side of the story, so this book has to be judged in thatlight.Yet only an unauthorized bio could have such pithy quotes fromGeorge Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols and Jimmy Doohan aboutShatner's line-stealing, scene-cutting, and personal abrasiveness.Another advantage of an unauthorized bio is it praises Shatner in ways apersonal account might not have.Did you know that for his early stagework, one critic said Shatner would be the next Olivier?And how aboutthat black and white movie in which Shatner spoke only in Esperanto, whichstunned the critics?And, as the book points out, some of his Star Trekwork is undeniably brilliant. All in all, this is a well-roundedbiography, covering Shatner's early work, the Star Trek series, hisdown-on-his-luck times after the series, the Star Trek movies, and his morerecent successes.This is all interwoven with his personal life, makingfor an interesting, if complicated, portrait.

This Book Shows Both Sides of this Complicated Man!
I think anyone who has read this book from cover to cover will find it to be a moving portrayal of a fascinating man. I'm no Trekker and I do not worship Shatner like a lot of people, but I feel I understand him much better now. The author worked with him and interviewed the entire cast and crew of Star Trek and TJ Hooker. I am not so naive to think that celebrities never realize the politics of show business after their run-ins with fellow actors and deny anything really happened. I heartily recommend this book -- but only for people who don't give a damn about Star Trek and want to read an in-depth and multifaceted biography of a modern icon. After reading this book I have come to see the human side of Shatner and the tragedies and disappointments of his life.

Don't read this book
Instead of focusing on Shatner's life and being a true "autobiography", all this book does is tell us all the bad things he has done. And you know what? Most of them aren't even true. Want an example? Ok, here's one: This book claims that Shatner had a fight with Marina Sirtis(Counselor Troi)and got most of her scenes cut from Star Trek Generations. Without taking into account the fact that this would be totally and completely IMPOSSIBLE for an actor to do,let me tell youwhat Marina said about it in an interview in Star Trek Communicator. She said "This whole thing that appeared in the tabloids about us having a fight wasn't true. I didn't even see Shatner once during the filming of the movie." So there you have it. That is just one of the many lies I discovered in this book. Of course, what do you expect when the back of this book lists tabloids like "Star" as one of its sources for information? ... Read more

Product Description
After spending four years in cryogenic stasis for crimes he is certain he did not commit, Jake Cardigan is mysteriously released. Finding himself lost in a world that has changed since his incarceration, Jake tries to put his life back together. His family gone, Jake fights the urge to self-medicate using a digital drug called Tek. Offered a job to locate a missing enigmatic scientist, Jake can already feel the puppet strings manipulating him to return to the life that got him jailed in the first place. This first volume, Plague of Ghosts, revisits and revitalizes the Tek universe created in William Shatner's bestselling novel series. ... Read more

Product Description
William Shatner is one of the most readily-recognized people in the world. While most people immediately think of him as Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek, few realize that he began his professional acting career at the age of eight and has appeared in Shakespearean festivals, regularly-scheduled radio roles, university and regional playhouses, live television drama, and more than 50 motion pictures. This book provides a short biography and a detailed record of all his performances. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling author William Shatner returns to the universe of his acclaimed novel Man O' War-and to the one man willing to put it all on the line to see that the people of Mars live free at last. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Law of War is Grand!
This represents William Shatner's coming-of-age as an author of science fiction. His grand saga of inter-planetary politics which he started with "Man O' War" has grown into a homily about ourselves & our species. Carefully woven into this epic is the fact that we humans, once wehave something in our grasp, do not like to let it go without a fight. Welldone! END

The Law of War is Grand!
This represents William Shatner's coming-of-age as an author of science fiction. His grand saga of inter-planetary politics which he started with "Man O' War" has grown into a homily about ourselves & ourspecies. Carefully woven into this epic is the fact that we humans, once wehave something in our grasp, do not like to let it go without a fight. Welldone! For my full review please go to: ... Read more

Product Description
Captain Kirk is back with another fast-paced Tek adventure featuring detective Jake Cardigan. When the second wife of Cardigan's partner Sid Gomez disappears, a highly placed government source offers top dollar to find her alive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

GREAT BOOK, great series, great author
I have been looking for this (and another) for years to complete the series of 9 TEK novels. Seller was honest in description, and quick to deliver the goods!!

A nice story to read at bedtime as it winds your mind down rather than up
Once again private detectives Jake Cardigan and his wisecracking sidekick Sid Gomez are battling the forces of evil, peddlers of the brain altering electronic drug called tek. It all begins when Jill Bernardino, one of Gomez's ex-wives calls him up and requests his aid. She has been indiscreet in her gathering and repeating of information regarding a new way of delivering tek that has been called Teknet. Instead of needing a brainbox and a chip to deliver the fantasies to the brain, it will now be possible to send them directly from a computer.
Their potential loss of revenue from the manufacture of chips has caused the tek lords to move against the developers of teknet. They send operatives to capture Jill but the operatives of the teknet consortium grab her first. When Jake joins forces with Gomez, they go face first into a case that has them battling with cops and two powerful factions of tek lords. As is always the case in this formulaic series, the bad guys never shoot straight when aiming at Jake or Sid, yet are deadly when shooting at others. While Jake and Sid do occasionally miss, it is never a serious matter because the opposition couldn't hit a parked truck.
The story is simple, the action basic and often predictable yet it is a fun story to read, especially when you are tucking your mind to bed. Little thought is required to follow the plot as it winds your mind down rather than up.

A lot of fun for the SciFi fan
The tek books actually surprised me - they're very entertaining. I expected a hack job, but they move very quickly and have non-stop action. No paragraph is longer than 3 sentences, so they're great to read after a long day to unwind before bed. Pure, futuristic fantasy that manages to keep you interested and moving right along. These books are sprinkled with Tek-isms and future slang that can make you chuckle to yourself. Shatner obviously had a lot of fun writing this series. I, for one, was pleasantly impressed with our beloved Captain Kirk.

The song remains the same...
When I read the original "Tekwar" a seemingly impossibly long time ago, I was instantly drawn in to the high tech world that my boyhood hero had created.The hardware was sleek, the action was merciless, andthe end of each page dared you not to turn to the next.Almost ten yearslater, not much has changed for Jake Cardigan and company.Jake's stillthe tough, angst ridden private eye with a heart of gold.Gomez is still awise cracking charmer, and both manage to get themselves in ridiculousamounts of trouble in the course of the story, only to tap dance their wayout of it by the end, which almost always falls around 250 pages.Like therest, Teknet's story is told with rare style and wit, but the Tek"cast" doesn't ever really change.But, with a "Tek"book, you're not looking for a character study, just a fast paced thrillride.Teknet delivers on that.The main problem is that this, being thelast of a series of books that has soaked up an entire decade, gives noreal sense of closure to the series. At the end, things are pretty much theway they started, and the boys still seem poised to take Bascm's next call.A more proper send off would have been more satisfying. ... Read more

Product Description
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy read four science fiction classics--Asimov's Foundation--The Psychohistorians, Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, Kuttner's Mimsy Were the Borogoves, and The Green Hills of Earth by Heinlein. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Superb Collection
FOUR SCIENCE FICTION CLASSICS is an exceptional compilation of the absolute best the genre had to offer in the 1940s and 1950s. It is composed of six powerful stories which transcend the decades in which they were written, stirring the heart and mind as powerfully now as when they were first published.

While these stories would shine under any conditions, the narrations of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy actually serve to further energize the prose. I was especially moved by the performance of William Shatner. Despite having been a fan of Star Trek for decades, I was completely unprepared for the depth and the brilliance of his vocal talents. Shatner's clear insight into the stories and their characters radiates with every word and intonation.

I could not more strongly recommend either an audio book or a science fiction collection. ... Read more

Product Description

For three full decades, on television and in film, actor William Shatner has portrayed one of the legendary heroes of science fiction: James Tiberius Kirk, captain of the Starship Enterprise™. Although Kirk was believed to have perished at the conclusion of Star Trek® Generations™, his amazing literary resurrection led to an acclaimed trilogy of national bestsellers, The Ashes of Eden, The Return, and Avenger.

Now William Shatner again brings his unique blend of talents as an actor, writer, director and producer to the conclusion of the new trilogy begun with Spectre and continuing with Dark Victory, as two men -- and two universes -- never meant to meet are drawn closer together toward an inevitable and destructive reaction....

PRESERVER

The deadly and tyrannical Emperor Tiberius, formerly captain of the I.S.S. Enterprise, had great success turning captured alien weaponry to his advantage, but his failed attempt to sieze the tantalizing advances of the ancient First Federation has always rankled him. In the more peaceful universe of the United Federation of Planets, Tiberius sees his second chance. And a new ally will help him take it -- the counterpart for whom he has nothing but contempt, the man whose U.S.S. Enterprise™ made first contact with the First Federation: Starfleet Captain James T. Kirk.

Honorable, Idealistic, and decent, James T. Kirk is many things Tiberius is not. But he is also a man deeply in love with his wife -- and Teilani is dying. To save her life, Kirk will compromise his ideals and enter into his most dangerous alliance yet.

Battling Captain Jean-Luc Picard and a new generation of Starfleet heroes, Kirk will guide Tiberius to a long-abandoned First Federation base. There, he expects to find a source of power so great it will enable Tiberius to conquer the mirror universe -- and his own.

But on their journey Kirk will uncover long-hidden secrets about the past that raise the stakes far beyond the mere survival of Kirk's family and friends to nothing less than the continued existence of both universes.

At the heart of their quest, something else is waiting: an object from a civilization whose technology is far more advanced than any Kirk or Tiberius could expect to acquire, placed there for Kirk's eyes only by the mysterious aliens who appear to have influenced life within the galaxy over eons of time -- a message from the Perservers.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

StarTrek Preserver
As Captains Kirk And Picard Race To Save The Alternate Universe From Destruction, A Group Of Aliens Is Trying To Teach Kirk A Lesson About The Prime Directive.

Part VI of the Kirk Saga.Kirk Vs. Kirk.Pulse pounding entertainment from beginning until end.
I literally counted down the months in between Dark Victory and Preserver because I wanted to read this book so bad.It seemed like an eternity until it came out, but when it finally did back in the summer of 2000 I wasn't let down one bit.

I just reread the mirror universe saga and enjoyed it even more the second time around. Now, a little older and have a greater appreciate for excellent science fiction I felt the mirror universe saga is one of the greatest stories told.It rivals all Star Trek novels past and present.The showdown between Tiberious and Captain Kirk is excellent and gribbing until the end.The fate of Kirk's wife Telani is in this novel as well.

I loved it and still love it.Truly a great ending and beginning to the future adventures of Captain James T. Kirk.A definite must read!!!!10/10.

It's O.K. Just Not My Favorite
Out of the Shatner Alternate Universe trilogy, this is probably my least favorite. Something about it just wasn't that interesting, even though it was the conclusion of the trilogy. Good beginning, it keeps up with the momentum of the two previous books, but it slowly goes down hill until the sad and happy conclusion. Kirk loses something, yet something is also gained. The main problem I had with it was within the title itself. I just didn't find the Preservers interesting. Like I said, I have read worse, but out of this Shatner trilogy, this is the worst. Not saying it's bad, just not my cup of tea.

Good Conclusion To Mirror Universe Trilogy
"Preserver" completes the "Mirror Universe Trilogy", picking up right where the last book ("Dark Victory") left off. The year is 2375 and the story continues as Kirk and Picard (and various others) race against time to prevent not only the destruction of the Federation but the destruction of the universe.

If you have read the other two books in the series and they held your interest then this one is pretty much required reading. I was less than thrilled with the second part of the series but this book did not have many of the flaws that I felt existed in the second book. The action is still fast-paced and there is not always a great deal of characterization; the emphasis is much more on the general idea of bringing together many Star Trek concepts and weaving them into a tale of conspiracies. And that latter concept is really what this "Mirror Universe" saga really is for me: a sort of history-as-conspiracy concept. From the conspiracy of the mirror universe counterparts to invade their "neighbors" to a vast conspiracy that exists within Starfleet, including a sort of secret society or group, all the way to the ever-so-enigmatic Preservers, who have made everyone rethink their place in the universe. That is what you are essentially dealing with here: a conspiracy story and that probably, to a large extent, explains why people like this series. Conspiracy sells. Generally, people like a good conspiracy story; how everything we see and think we know is not quite what we really see and what we really know. What the authors have done is take these concepts and wrap them up in a Star Trek story. Overall, they succeed, I think, but as I have said in the reviews of the other two books in this series, the plot is really what you have to focus on. The characters and their motivations or their reactions to the events around them see to me to be simple cardboard that provides a static backdrop to one revelation after another for our heroes.

This book had some genuinely "cool" moments, like the chase/battle of the ships inside an asteroid but mixed with some decidedly "corny" moments, like the battle of the Kirks in deep space or the references to "Agents Dulmer and Lucsly" of the "Federation Department of Temporal Investigations. (That is "Mulder and Scully", anagrammed. This gives nothing away about the story at all, but it is such a perfect example for me of the kind of "play" that I find a bit disingenuous in a book steeped in the Star Trek mythos as this one is.) The usage of "psychohistory" (a decidedly Asimovian idea, as the authors recognize) was also a bit on the "stretching it" side for me. And this book continues in the traditions of the others, bringing up large and weighty topics (like contrafactual histories or predictive patterns in societal behavior or the notion of ancestral races and how that would affect beliefs and thoughts of various societies or the role of chance in history) and then essentially disregarding those topics. I realize those topics are not the point of this series, necessarily, but my issue is that the series throws so many things at you and then just leaves all those concepts dangling; there is no one set focus for the books except the general "bring as much Star Trek history together" plot that propels the action along. The focus of the action, of course, is on James Kirk and if you stop and think for a minute when reading the books, you start to ask yourself, somewhat cynically: "Okay, how much *more* could possibly happen to James Kirk?" In this case, that sort of questioning is bad because, at least for me, it shows that you stop caring about Kirk as a character and just keep reading to find out how he gets out of another situation or how he deals with his latest setback.

With all this said, I do feel "Preserver" is a satisfying conclusion to the series (with the exception, perhaps, of the fate of Tiberius) and the wrap-up at the end was, in my opinion, quite well done. I gave this book three stars, however, because in order to get the most of this book you have to read the previous two in the series and those I had given three stars, but I think this book shines above the others in a lot of respects.

3.5 stars for the story i heard on Audio CD.
James T. Kirk and friends Vs Emperor Tiberius. This the 6th ST book done by William Shatner and friends (and book 3 of the mirror mirror trilogy) and it is a bit below the standards set by the first 5. I must say though that I haven't read the book, only the abridged audio CD. The chase part of the book was hard to follow.Shatner does a great job on all his audio CD.

If you read the other five, you have to read this one. Shatner and friends are the best story tellers in the ST universe. I hope they plan to keep the books coming, and include characters from all the series.

What about a trilogy called: DATA THE RETURN. Kirk and Picard go back to the time of Capt Archer and set out to steal a Borg Devise that could revive Data. ST has little continuity anyway, so what's the harm.

This review is more the Abridged Audio CD version. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Shatner's Book
I think it was/is wonderful! William Shatner is a terrific writer!

A great read on the making of a Star Trek movie.
This book, "Captain's Log: William Shatner's Personal Account on the Making of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" by Lisabeth Shatner (William Shatner's daughter, who was on the film's set & locationshoots) is an excellent read on the making of a Star Trek movie. This bookdetails the accounts on what lead star, co-writer, & director of StarTrek V, William Shatner, went through making this movie. Although thisfifth movie is best remembered as not one of the best in the Star Trek filmseries, this book details the process on the making of a feature film. Thisbook also includes details on the originally planned ending that had to bechanged. Featuring interviews with the cast & crew, as well as 16 pagesof photos, "Captain's Log" is an excellent read. For Star Trekfans as well as anyone interested on the process of filmmaking. ... Read more

Product Description
Jake Cardigan's quest to piece together his fractured life is interrupted when it's discovered that a new, deadlier strain of Tek called "Grease" is infecting robots and threatens to become a worldwide epidemic. Now, Jake must choose between finding his true memories and stopping the viral onslaught.This complete story arc based on the best-selling William Shatner novel franchise takes off where Plague of Ghosts left off and continues to ratchet up the excitement, answering many questions and unveiling even more surprises. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in paperback, William Shatner's dramatic follow-up to his "New York Times" bestseller, "The Return". Captain Kirk has embarked on a desperate quest to find the source of a mysterious virus that may decimate the Federation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (78)

Not a book review - but
Just wanted to say that I received this book in very good condition and that it came very quickly. I appreciated that and the low cost. As for the contents of the book - I am sure those who like Star Trek will find it interesting since it contains quite a bit of connection to older stories. Of course, it is part of a series - so the best thing would be to read them all.

Maybe 2 1/2 Stars... Great ideas but this book didn't do it for me.
First of all, I would like to say for the record that Captain Kirk is my favorite character and that I am still overall very happy that Kirk is still alive and kicking (in the Shatnerverse anyway).However, this is the fourth Shatner book I have read and this was easily the most disappointing.Ashes to Eden and Collision Course were very good.Shatner's ego was.. um... pretty well in check.However The Return while a great novel and great ideas I had an issue with just how much Shatner wrote the original cast(him specifically)over TNG.Avenger was a pretty similar in that aspect to the Return.Kirk, Spock and McCoy were the big heroes and TNG basically sat back and watched in amazement.The major issue that I had with this book that took this from a 3 star book to a 2 star book was the idea of The Avenger itself.Kirk was the Avenger and he avenged Sarek's death.Why did he avenge Sarek death? Answer because according to this book they had been like father and son all these years.This is the scenario, Kirk stopped Spock from killing the individual who murdered Sarek.Then a few pages later Kirk had killed the guy.Two questions, number one, when did Kirk and Sarek become so close.I realize Kirk discovered that he had a mind meld with Sarek when he was thirteen years old on Tarsus IV.However, Picard had a mind meld with Sarek too and he didn't feel like he had avenge Sarek's death.Kirk even used the reasoning that it was an vulcan custom, which is strange because vulcans are not exactly the violent type, but even if they were Kirk isn't vulcan. Question number two he stopped Spock from avenging his fathers death... just so he could do it.He didn't feel that it was Spock's place to avenge his father's death?Just that part of the book along with the fact that Shatner still doesn't respect TNG characters to even put them anywhere near the level of TOS characters are really brought my opinion of this book down.
However, the other main story was well done.There was a ban of Vulcans called the Symmetrists that unleased a virus called virogen that killed plant and animal life and it was up to the familar heroes of the starship Enterprise to stop virus from destroying all the planets within the federation.Kirk, Spock and few others followed the clues from Vulcan while Picard and the Enterprise were following events that lead to Picard and Crusher actually getting effected themselves.

Shatner and Co did an excellent job with the characters of the both generations of the Enterprise.One thing I find as a weakness in The Return was Shatner's lack of being able to bring the crew TNG to life.That is something he did a lot better in this book.

This book did not change my mind about Captain Kirk or William Shatner as a writer.I still say if you are a fan of TOS or a Captain Kirk/William Shatner fan you will love this novel.If you are a fan of both TOS and TNG like I am you will probably rate this book somewhere in the middle.There are readers out there that say "Of course Kirk, Spock and McCoy are the heroes it is Shatner writing the novels".However, I am sure that most of the writers of Star Trek have a favorite character but they still keep it pretty balanced in the long run of the books they write.Shatner just doesn't do that.Anyway, I have heard good things about Spectre but I am going to take a break from the Shatnerverse and read the classic Yesterday's Son.I saw the episode All Our Yesterdays again the other day and can't wait to read that book.

Grade: C

Shatner and company do it again!
Avenger ties the Odyssey Trilogy together brilliantly. Kirk and Picard, as we saw in Generations, make a fantastic team. One of my favorite parts of Star Trek novels is expanding on a single piece of Trek lore and getting a whole novel that doesn't bore you out of it. Amazing!

Part III of the Kirk Saga.Great ending to the first trilogy.
With Captain James T. Kirk fully alive and well in this chapter of the Kirk Saga, we get a great story full of plot twists surrounding the death of Sarek.What makes this novel so good is that Shatner does an excellent job on his homework intermixing the book with the history surrounding the episode in which Sarek dies from the Next Generation series.

All in all, this is a great conclusion to the first trilogy and sets up well for the next trilogy involving the mirror universe.10/10

Star Trek Avenger - A great conclusion to the first trilogy!
Star Trek "Avenger" is a good conclusion to William Shatner and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens first Star Trek trilogy that spans well over a century of "Star Trek" time.The first two, "The Ashes of Eden" and "The Return" were absolutely phenomenal in so much as telling a good story about Captain Kirk just before the events of Star Trek "Generations" and after the events of that movie with his return from the dead in "The Return" bringing this compelling character back to Star Trek readers if not moviegoers.

The one unfortunate aspect of "Avenger" is that while it is a very good novel it doesn't quite live up to its two predecessors.The story in and of itself is a pretty good one, it just reaches into some areas of Star Trek that leaves one wondering where the authors were going; by that I mean in the areas where the dialogue more or less puts Captain Kirk in such a glorious light and in doing so demeaning such STNG icons as Captain Picard and Commander Riker.That being said, the overall story is still a very good one where all three authors deftly put together a truly good story that is in good fashion in Gene Roddenberry's universe.The pacing of the novel is exceptional and the overall plot set up and execution is well on the mark.

The cover art for "Avenger" is pretty much more of the same bland stuff that was very typical of Star Trek novels at the time of its publishing.

The Premise:

In true Star Trek style and fashion, William Shatner and the Stevens brought together a story that clearly ties up many of the loose ends set up in the first two novels and set up a reunion between Captain Kirk and Spock.The two storied heroes eventually come together when Captain Kirk, long thought to be dead, sets out to discover the source of a lethal virus that is destroying crops all over the Federation causing famine throughout the Federation with the situation worsened by over population.At the same time, Spock returns home to Vulcan to investigate whether his father died of natural causes or could there have been foul play involved.Both investigations lead them into a long awaited reunion that is told extremely well...

What follows is an exceptionally well written novel with only few technical errors that aren't too difficult to overcome.Overall, I would highly recommend this and the first two novels in this, the first Shatner/Stevens trilogy to any and all fans of good Star Trek fiction!{ssintrepid} ... Read more