A review of 'Spock's World', a Star Trek novel
This is the first Star Trek novel I ever read. Until recently, I viewed these books with the same suspicion I had for all expanded universes. To me, they could only be cheap knockoffs that failed to capture the essence and originality of the works they came from. That attitude was unintelligent and elitist. It prevented me from further engaging with the things I love. A year ago I was set on reading Spock's World, but ended up favoring other, more "serious" books instead. Since then, I have fortunately changed my ways.
Spock's World (1988) is a Star Trek novel by Diane Duane, a respected science fiction writer with multiple awards. The character of Spock always fascinated me, and this book is often mentioned as one of the core stories to understand Spock and Vulcans as a whole.
Like most things in the Star Trek expanded universe, this book is not canon. That doesn't bother me in the slightest. Spock' World is just a smart person giving their best to develop the Vulcan backstory. That is not any different from what writers do for the movies and TV shows. Star Trek's official canon is flimsy and contradictory, so it's not as if a newcomer would be in a position to ruin something that is perfectly consistent and logical anyway.
Some departures, however, did cause an impression on me. I am largely a fan of The Next Generation, so my knowledge of Star Trek The Original Series is, at points, insufficient. That is because I watched a lot of it as a child, and my memory is unclear on exactly what I have and have not watched. Because of that, it is entirely possible that, while pointing out inconsistencies, I will be merely displaying my own ignorance.
With that said, it gave me pause that Vulcans are seemingly theists in this book. Is that the case elsewhere on the show? I believe in God myself, so that doesn't offend me at all. But it doesn't feel very Vulcan.
The book alternates between a chapter in the present and another in the past, telling a comprehensive backstory of Vulcan. One chapter narrates the actual formation of the planet, including its geological formation and whatnot. It is very detailed and incredibly boring. It feels like an overly detailed RPG sourcebook. But subsequent Vulcan chapters are excelent. It is fascinating how the author narrates the slow progress of the species, explaining the reasons for their physiology and culture.
The present chapters, named "Enterprise", are okay. Spock is fine but I couldn't care less about Kirk and McCoy, they are not why I read this book and I don't need to see their dynamic recreated in text. But I understand this is a Star Trek book, you have to provide some fanservice, and a book entirely made of Vulcans talking among themselves could be very dry.
Although my overall appraisal of the experience was overwhelmingly positive, as I reached the end of Spock's World I also had some conflicting sentiments.
Dislikes:
- Spock is barely relevant. When he is made relevant, it feels forced. McCoy is way more important to the story, and his actions are actually consequential. When I started reading a story with "Spock" in the title, I didn't expect McCoy to be more important than him.
- The chapter on the geological formation of Vulcan is one of the most boring things I have ever read in my life.
- The ending feels rushed as if the narrative was more of an excuse to convey information about Vulcan rather than a fully functioning narrative that is meant to be satisfactory on its own.
Likes:
- We get lots of Sarek, which is great.
- Vulcan characters are not just logic machines. They are detailed and nuanced. For example, Sarek's relationship with his wife Amanda provides great insight into the psychological complexity of Vulcan's. I mean, if they were all logic, surely Sarek would have no reason to marry and genuinely love his wife.
- Developing T'Pau was such a great choice, as she embodies a more ceremonial and borderline religious aspect of Vulcan culture. Her character and position are further explained in the book by the ancient matriarchy that formed Vulcan culture and politics. This book has many strong women in leadership positions. They are remarkably interesting and engaging.
- There is a brief and engrossing narration of how Surak came to be and his influence in the formation of the Vulcan culture and character.
- The narrative of prehistoric Vulcans slowly evolving into their current selves is excellent. Much of the book is devoted to that, so that should be understood as a very strong positive.
- Vulcan psionics and their power are explained in great detail, including their capabilities and how these abilities spread through Vulcan's gene pool. These bits are very consistent and remind me of our own history of arranged marriages and the exchange of relatives between monarchical houses.
My rating for this book is 6.5 out of 10. I recommend Spock's World to Star Trek fans who wish to learn more about Vulcan. And to be perfectly clear, 6.5 is not a fail or a bad score. This is a good book, but I am comparing it with science fiction literature as a whole, and not just Star Trek literature. I have now acquired Sarek, by A. C. Crispin. So now I'll learn more about Spock's father. Live long and prosper!