Angelthorne's Bard College

A new TOS novel set immediately after the events of "Where No Man Has Gone Before," Harbinger is the first of a series set in and around the mysterious new Starbase 47 Vanguard. Kirk and Spock make a brief appearance, but most of the novel revolves around an ensemble cast of original characters. As you might expect from the first work in a series, very little is actually resolved, but numerous mysteries and conflicts are set up for later books. This was my first David Mack novel (not to be confused with the comic book writer and artist David Mack), and I was very impressed. The writing was good, the characters well-developed and interesting, and as an added bonus, there is a gatefold diagram of the Starbase by none other than Masao Okazaki. Overall, the feel is more like a TOS version of DS9. After being disappointed by several recent Star Trek novels, Harbinger was a pleasant surprise. I recommend it and look forward to the next installment.

Labels: Books, Reviews, Star Trek