The Joy Machine (Star Trek, Book 80)

It was many years ago when Theodore Sturgeon wrote down his ideas for this book. He died before he actually was able to write it. When James Gunn was approached to write the book using Sturgeon's notes he wasn't sure he wanted to do it but agreed. The book was based on the original Star Trek and a lot has changed since then. Maybe the time for the book had passed but I thought it was very well done.

If you could have ultimate pleasure, would it be worth it? What would the results be on society? In this Star Trek novel, the authorexpands on a story by Theodore Sturgeon to explore this concept. A prime shore leave spot, Timshel inexplicably quarantined itself two years ago. Agents sent to investigate have not returned.Captain Kirk and the Enterprise are sent to investigate. When Kirk beams down to meet an old friend, he finds himself trapped in a society where pure exstacy is the reward for hard labor. Through his interactions with the citizens of this planet, and the Joy Machine that controls it, Kirk exposes the society's weaknesses, perhaps making the point that it was a good thing Adam and Eve left the garden. The traditional Original Series elemnts are maintained, a female lead for Kirk, etc, but this story manages to coherently make even more of a social comment than usual, espcially among a series often noted for such. A must for Star Trek fans, and recommended for Sci-Fi fans in general.