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BOOK
Star Trek
Errand of Fury
Book 1: Seeds of Rage

Author: Kevin Ryan
Pocket Books
RRP £6.99, US $7.99, Cdn $11.99
ISBN 0 7434 8053 8
Available 02 May 2005


As the Federation and the Klingon Empire continue to spiral to all out war, the deaths of Sam Fuller and Jon Anderson, on the abortive attack against
Starbase 42, inextricably links the lives of Sam's father, Jon's lover and the Klingon Karel. With tensions rising, the Enterprise is refitted as a war ship and Ambassador Robert Fox's mediations seem destined to fail...

My initial reaction to the book was not good. The prologue, whilst adequately setting the scene, is arguably overly melodramatic. Fuller appears to have fought hundred of battles on hundreds of worlds in only a twenty-five year career and you get the feeling that either the character has got to be one of the unluckiest security officers in Starfleet - to have gotten into a battle every six to eight weeks - or that the whole tone of the book is going to be over the top.

Now, I know it sounds like nit-picking but if you don't grab the attention of the average reader in the first few pages then you are likely to loose them. If you can get past the prologue (in fact just skip it, Sam is dead, his father is sad) then you will be rewarded with what is actually a very good book, which subtly examines the themes of heroism and honour. The characters rather than being black and white stereotypes have secrets and motivations which I am sure will be further examined in the subsequent two novels.

One of the problems with trilogies is that they are akin to a three act play. The main task of the first book is mainly to introduce the characters and set the scene. The danger here is that it can all be a little dull; it is good to report that there is no shortage of action, as Fuller remembers his first personal encounter with the Klingons at the battle of Donatu V twenty-five years before.

The proof of any book, that forms a series, is: would you want to read the next one? Not only do I look forward to book 2 of Errand of Fury, I am intrigued enough to seek out Kevin Ryan's first trilogy Errand of Vengeance and give that a whirl. So, buy it, read it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Charles Packer

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