Crucible: McCoy: Provenance of Shadows

This is the worst Star trek I've EVER read! It rambles on and on and on! It goes nowhere!

I am totally in awe of the writing skill of David George III. I have read most if not all of the TOS (my favorite of the lot). I love the concept of time travel, time lines etc anyway, but this was presented so smoothly it was simply beautiful. I've now started on the Spock Crucible and then will start the Kirk one. "Bones" has always been my favorite character anyway and this just proves to me why. Well done Mr George, well done!!!

This book was absoluetly fantastic! It held my interest so much that some nights I would read until way past midnight. A fascinating "fan fiction" that focuses on the life McCoy could have lived in the past if Edith Keeler had been allowed to live, "Provenance of Shadows" is the one book all Trekkies should read. Excellent! One warning though--you will stay up all night reading it!

This enthralling "Star Trek" novel was my vacation reading of choice. 628 pages, on super slim paper to keep the chunkiness to a minimum, it was indeed an excellent selection! I got totally sucked into the universe that is "Star Trek: Crucible", greedily sneaking off for extra chapters at every opportunity. The events stretch from the end of "The City on the Edge of Forever", one of the most popular TOS episodes, until several years after retired Admiral McCoy's visit to Picard's Enterprise in "Encounter at Farpoint" (the premiere episode of "The Next Generation"). Even though the "Crucible" trilogy purposely works in its own continuity, as regarding other ST novels, it seemed to me that David George purposely worded his description of the Enterprise's return from "Out there, thataway" (in ST:TMP) to include wiggle room for a recent and popular novel set in that time period, "Ex Machina". That Filmation's animated ST series of the 70s (TAS) is so well referenced was a delight to me! Many more aspects than I expected: first names for (Paul) Bates and (Jimmy) Clayton, welcome cameo appearances by Randi Bryce and M'Ress the Caitian, and cheeky references to Mantilles, Dramia II, Edoans, Phylosians, Vedala, Aquan surgo-ops and even practical joking computers! I'm very curious how much the upcoming "Spock" and "Kirk" instalments of this new trilogy will intersect the "McCoy" novel, and how much will focus on new events, and events barely hinted at in "McCoy". The three bookcovers will make a triptych mural, too. A very cool 40th anniversary event!

I almost didn't pick up this book! When I discovered that it was about "City on the Edge of Forever" I grabbed it right away. I have to wonder if a story like this was proposed years ago and turned down. Why wasn't this book written years ago? I have to wonder if original "City" author, Harlan Ellison took a look at this? He should, because it's one of the best Star Trek books to date. This one brings all the events in this episode to influence the fate of Kirk,Spock and McCoy. The timeline shifts in which McCoy saves Edith Keeler. That was enough to keep me reading until I finished the book.

For those of you who are fans of the original Star Trek this book is a must read. Its a detailed character study of Leonard McCoy told with a richness of detail that is often lacking in tie in novels. It starts ever so slowly then gradually it grows upon you and you find yourself unable to put it down. The last 50 or so pages are worth reading the entire book for. Its unlike any Star Trek book you've seen before. Try it you will like it.