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graff_fuller's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a fairly good story, IF you accepted the conceit...which I couldn't really.
An evil genius builds a machine that can make an android of anyone put into it...that took all the thoughs, memories and personality of the human, and put it into an android.
I just didn't believe it...from an "in world" reason. We have Data about 90 years later...with his pluses and minuses, and it was/is obvious that he is an android.
In this story, we are to believe that the machine could make an EXACT replaca of the human...that could pass the "smell" test. Go un-noticed by ANYONE? Nah.
So, I had to figure out a way...to continue reading...without this doubt. So...I did. I didn't "buy" it, but other than that...it is an interesting story of duplicity...within the realm of Star Trek.
What IF someone "could" duplicate you (and then kill off the original)...it would be the perfect "Identity Theft".
So, it was fun.
Oh, also...the Enterprise and its crew are guarding the Neutral Zone...for the Romulans are doing maneuvers near the border (as they do).
It was fun to put our favourite characters in these different situations.
Captain Kirk, being himself...an the other...and how one being brash and bold was a positive, while the other...it just didn't work.
Overall, it was a "good" story, but not stellar.
An evil genius builds a machine that can make an android of anyone put into it...that took all the thoughs, memories and personality of the human, and put it into an android.
I just didn't believe it...from an "in world" reason. We have Data about 90 years later...with his pluses and minuses, and it was/is obvious that he is an android.
In this story, we are to believe that the machine could make an EXACT replaca of the human...that could pass the "smell" test. Go un-noticed by ANYONE? Nah.
So, I had to figure out a way...to continue reading...without this doubt. So...I did. I didn't "buy" it, but other than that...it is an interesting story of duplicity...within the realm of Star Trek.
What IF someone "could" duplicate you (and then kill off the original)...it would be the perfect "Identity Theft".
So, it was fun.
Oh, also...the Enterprise and its crew are guarding the Neutral Zone...for the Romulans are doing maneuvers near the border (as they do).
It was fun to put our favourite characters in these different situations.
Captain Kirk, being himself...an the other...and how one being brash and bold was a positive, while the other...it just didn't work.
Overall, it was a "good" story, but not stellar.
vesper1931's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
A distress signal is pick up, that of the expedition of Dr Roger Korby who's colleagues have made a great discovery. But danger awaits them as some of the crew beam down.
An enjoyable re-read.
An enjoyable re-read.
caitatoes's review against another edition
3.0
i had a good time, and really what else can you ask for
gingerreader99's review against another edition
3.0
obviously it was good.anything by Friedman is always a good read, but unfortunately because of school my reading of Double Double was very broken. Still though despite that it easily gets 3 stars in my opinion. A second read through may come in the future however.
frakalot's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a classic romp! The cover and the title of this story fooled me into expecting another mirror universe story but to my surprise and delight, the double in the mirror is an android copy rather than an alternate reality version of Kirk. It probably says so in the blurb but I failed to read that before starting.
In fact, the situation is explained quite well right at the beginning and we learn that this story will continue where the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of" left off after Kirk and Co. departed the planet EXO III. The surviving android Dr. Brown decides to continue his late creator, Dr. Korby's original mission, to populate the galaxy with their perfect android copies.
This android's Utopian vision begins with the same mistake that Dr. Korby made, which was, in my humble opinion, to copy and replace rather than just to copy. As it turns out the plan is essentially exactly the same as Korby's so there is little to wonder about how it will all play out and one of the main hitches in the plan is actually a recurrence of the exact flaw that ended it the first time. I thought that was a disappointing choice for this continuation of events, however it did mean that the bait and switch game had to be a lot more creative this time.
Michael Jan Friedman was quite a popular Trek author and for good reason. This story is interesting, the characters are instantly recognisable and even muddy sections of the plot are handled so that they are simple to follow but still able to surprise the reader.
I felt it was a risky move to refer to all android copies by the same name, instead of adding a numbering convention or some other differentiation. It's exactly the type of thing that greatly frustrates this reader, but in all honesty there was never a situation in this story when it took longer than a moment to understand which character was the original and which the duplicate.
Apart from a few noticeable vestiges of the time when this was written, there is a lot of apparent respect for all of the characters in this story and Nurse Chapel gets a particularly special mention.
"There are some people whose laughter is precious ... Christine Chapel was one of those people"
Well, even with its predictable elements this was a fantastic story. A real pleasure to read and easily imaginable as another episode of the original series. I think most trekkies will be able to enjoy this story.
In fact, the situation is explained quite well right at the beginning and we learn that this story will continue where the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of" left off after Kirk and Co. departed the planet EXO III. The surviving android Dr. Brown decides to continue his late creator, Dr. Korby's original mission, to populate the galaxy with their perfect android copies.
This android's Utopian vision begins with the same mistake that Dr. Korby made, which was, in my humble opinion, to copy and replace rather than just to copy. As it turns out the plan is essentially exactly the same as Korby's so there is little to wonder about how it will all play out and one of the main hitches in the plan is actually a recurrence of the exact flaw that ended it the first time. I thought that was a disappointing choice for this continuation of events, however it did mean that the bait and switch game had to be a lot more creative this time.
Michael Jan Friedman was quite a popular Trek author and for good reason. This story is interesting, the characters are instantly recognisable and even muddy sections of the plot are handled so that they are simple to follow but still able to surprise the reader.
I felt it was a risky move to refer to all android copies by the same name, instead of adding a numbering convention or some other differentiation. It's exactly the type of thing that greatly frustrates this reader, but in all honesty there was never a situation in this story when it took longer than a moment to understand which character was the original and which the duplicate.
Apart from a few noticeable vestiges of the time when this was written, there is a lot of apparent respect for all of the characters in this story and Nurse Chapel gets a particularly special mention.
"There are some people whose laughter is precious ... Christine Chapel was one of those people"
Well, even with its predictable elements this was a fantastic story. A real pleasure to read and easily imaginable as another episode of the original series. I think most trekkies will be able to enjoy this story.
rimahsum's review
5.0
Starship U.S.S Hood picked up a distress signal from a research expedition thought lost long ago - the expedition of Dr. Roger Kirby, one of the greatest scientific minds. He is dead but his colleague Dr. Brown made an incredible discovery - a discovery to clone a person's identity with the person's memories and abilities. Dr. Brown insisted that Hood's captain to see it for himself. Brown had cloned James T. Kirk - Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The cloned Kirk is an android. Meanwhile, the USS Enterprise begins a long - overdue shore leave on Tranquility Seven. Then the original Kirk is captured and keep prisoner in a warehouse. He escapes and seek help to call back his ship, only to find many light-years away with the android. Until what seems a long time, it seemed like a case of mistaken identity which plunges Kirk into a whirlpool of mayhem and murder.
submanbrooks's review
2.0
It is what it is. Not deep or intricate. Like watching an episode on tv. Enjoyed it but nothing earthshattering.
amelianicholebooks's review
4.0
Not your usual Star Trek novel based on the setting and a great sequel of a fun episode.
bdplume's review
3.0
Not bad. It continues the story from a TOS episode in a reasonably believable way, a la Wrath of Khan. One of the better installments in the numbered TOS Pocket Books series.