Star Trek: Preserver

Many of the reviews below give away some BIG storyline surprises. Do yourself a favor and read carefully. This book is Shatner's strongest yet, and thankfully leaves the door open for more James T. Kirk in the future. Quick summary, this ties the previous 2 books together very well, and I cannot think of any unanswered questions from the first 2 books. I read the entire book in 1 sitting, which is rare (and difficult these days) to do. 1 major fault is the simple fact that if you haven't read the first 2 books, you'll have a little trouble following the 3rd installment, and much of the suspense from the first 2 will be out the window if they are read out of order. The combination of Shatner (who knows Kirk better than the guy who portrayed him) and the Reeves-Stevens (intricate knowledge of the ST Universe) makes for a great Trek novel. Hopefully there will be more to come...

The end of the second trilogy brings everything full circle and then some for our heroes. Tragedy, triumph, and wonderful character moments are included in a story that reaches far back into Trek's past and brings everything up to the present. I have written reviews of all of Shatner's other books in this series and I will say again: I look forward to these books the way I used to look forward to the movies. Everything is so well written in them and the characters are treated so well that you can see them and hear them. In this last book of the second trilogy, Shatner and the Garfield Reeves Stevens couple present us a story worthy of two Kirks. The mysteries laid down on Dark Victory are given some answers but nothing is ever truly given away; indeed, there are even more mysteries. Think Star Trek meets X-Files meets 2001, and that's what this book is. There are some more surprises in store for Kirk and company, but what amazes me about these books is that even when there is all this activity going on, the time is always taken to treat all the characters with reverence. Everyone gets a moment to shine. Kirk sounds like Kirk, Spock sounds like Spock, Picard sounds like Picard, etc. Original series episodes like City on the Edge of Forever,Miri, The Corbomite Maneuver and The Paradise Syndrome among others all of a sudden have brand new meaning and validity. Even the events of Star Trek First Contact are given tons of meaning and suddenly the events depicted in that movie are given the feeling of importance that Berman and his people have been unable to convey since they took over the franchise. I look at all of these books as corrections on mediocrity. Some old friends from some of the other Shatner books resurface here, and the ending will have your draw dropping and probably a tear in your eye. After reading these books thus far, I just can't believe that Rick Berman turned down the story for The Return (the second book in this series.) That lack of taste and initiative shows to this day in the bland, irrelevant, and boring soap opera that Trek has become. I gurantee that if these books, starting with The Return, had been allowed to be made into movies, the Star Trek franchise would be as popular if not more so then it was when Star Trek IV came out. Instead of going for the quick buck, if you give the fans what they want, you may have to spend more time and money up front, but you reap what you sew, and these kinds of stories would insure that Star Trek would live to see its 100th anniversary. As is, I doubt it will see 40. Mr. Berman, let the big boys make the movies- stick with TV. Let some real writers back in there to freshen things up, too. (Besides the same TV writers.) If you want to see and remember what real Star Trek is and see the continuation of an ongoing saga in an entire universe, get all of these books! You won't believe the difference in quality.

Shatner followed up the shortest Trek novel he has written with the longest. The first two books had a lot of questions, and PRESERVER delivers the answers to all of them in a very satisfying conclusion. Paramount should take note of Kirk's continuing popularity and bring the character back on film. The fans want it, and so does Shatner. And PRESERVER's ending was on such a high note that no true Kirk fan could feel unsatisfied. I can't wait for Shatner's next book, and I hope he continues bringing life to the Kirk character for years to come. And as for the TNG crew, it's ashame the writers on TV don't show the original series as much respect as Shatner shows TNG. I found myself clapping out loud for some of the moves Picard pulled in PRESERVER. The friendship between Kirk and Picard has developed over the Shatner books, to a great level of respect and comraderie. As is the case with the original series, TNG fans should love this book as well.

Preserver is a great conclusion to Shatner's cliffhanger series. Dealing with the mirror universe, Kirk must work with his evil counterpart, Tiberius, to get what he wants, and to try to stop possible universal armageddon. This book answers all the questions from its predecessors. I read all that came before it, and I thought those sort of got worse as they went on. But this book does a really good job clearing things up, and I think it's the best in this latest trilogy. It is full of suspense too. I suggest this book to any Star Trek fan. I also suggest that you read the trilogy that came before it, and the other two of this trilogy to get a better idea of the story.

Starting with Spectre, crossing over in to Dark Victory, W Shatner now enters the final conclusion of his acclaimed trilogy. And what and ending he delivers. Once again teaming up with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens the reader are brought on a journey trough the universe. Who are the preserver, what was their intentions and how does their creations have an impact on the universe of today? These, among others, are the questions that is answered in this amazing story about Kirk, his mirror-universe counterpart and the universe as we know it. If ever there was a book bok not to miss, then this is it. But make sure to read the series in its total, there is no substitute for the whole story.