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graff_fuller's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have to say, I misunderstood the beginning...and kept thinking that the story was PRESENT day, but it was all my mistake.
Other than that...I really loved the way the story was told.
This is a solid story that sets up the present day views on Klingons. Though, the changes made in the TOS movies, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and ENT.
In Star Trek: Enterprise, they explain the differences of the human looking Klingons suffered the loss of the ridges via a virus. So, when the Federation and James T. Kirk and the Enterprise of the TOS era encountered Klingons, they didn't have the distinguished forehead ridges and their honour was of prime importance. The TOS Klingons were Asian inspired by their looks, but shifty and coniving in their demeanor (actually without honour). This breed of Klingons was shown in this story...and gave them more depth and honour. I find it also interesting that...this was the basis of the Klingons for the FASA role playing game (which I played for many years...not knowing about this novel and its importance).
I also think it is cool to realize, that not everything that happens in our time period is always known. Great things/dispicable things are done all the time, and are lost in the ravages of time. This story is one of those lost to history, until read by James T. Kirk (present day TOS and his crew of the Enterprise) via the book.
Then thinking of what happens in the movies with Kirk's son and the Klingons...makes this point in his life poignant (at least to me).
Other than that...I really loved the way the story was told.
This is a solid story that sets up the present day views on Klingons. Though, the changes made in the TOS movies, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and ENT.
In Star Trek: Enterprise, they explain the differences of the human looking Klingons suffered the loss of the ridges via a virus. So, when the Federation and James T. Kirk and the Enterprise of the TOS era encountered Klingons, they didn't have the distinguished forehead ridges and their honour was of prime importance. The TOS Klingons were Asian inspired by their looks, but shifty and coniving in their demeanor (actually without honour). This breed of Klingons was shown in this story...and gave them more depth and honour. I find it also interesting that...this was the basis of the Klingons for the FASA role playing game (which I played for many years...not knowing about this novel and its importance).
I also think it is cool to realize, that not everything that happens in our time period is always known. Great things/dispicable things are done all the time, and are lost in the ravages of time. This story is one of those lost to history, until read by James T. Kirk (present day TOS and his crew of the Enterprise) via the book.
Then thinking of what happens in the movies with Kirk's son and the Klingons...makes this point in his life poignant (at least to me).
skylar2's review against another edition
4.0
Final Reflection is a very well-done story of a Klingon playing the game of diplomacy. One can definitely see hints of Undiscovered Country in its plot.
vesper1931's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
The Enterprise crew come back from shore interested in a newly published book - 'The Final Reflection'. The story of a Klingon captain called Krenn. But how much is fact and fiction.
Another entertaining re-read.
Another entertaining re-read.
wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite TOS books, with clear and intelligent cold war era presentation, excellent characterization, and solid plotting.
paintedyellowred's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
geofisch's review against another edition
5.0
As a Star Trek fan, I can't really imagine that there has ever been or will be a better Star Trek novel.
rimahsum's review against another edition
2.0
Vrenn's in the Green Team, in the Klin Zha games which includes a keeper, Flier, Fencer and a lancer. Vrenn's a Lancer and in this dangerous game Vrenn's Gensa has beaten the Gold Player. After the game ended, Admiral Rustazh, is looking for a child adoption. He adopted Vrenn since he's nine years old. As he grew older he went to the Marines. He had a fight with somebody and had knocked the wind out of him. Now Vrenn needs to replace him for weeks and plays and important part in the ship. Soon other captains chose him alone as captain of the starship Fencer. He is a Klingon and Changes his name to Krena. He's a ruthless war strategist but on a mission to Earth he learns a lesson in peace. Soon there's war and he is the only one who can prevent it, at the risk of his own life.
frakalot's review against another edition
4.0
A very clever story. I must admit I didn't like the first chapter. I found the second chapter better but I still wasn't captured by the story. However by the third chapter I was enjoying the story and it just got better with every chapter thereafter.
The plot is creative and the exploration of Klingon-lore is great. You have to read it with the date of publication in mind, you can see by the cover how early this story was written and you'll need to expect that many Klingon concepts were either newly formed ideas or not even written into canon yet.
With that in mind. The Klingons in this story are great. They remind very much of TOS era Klingons and the author nails the characters very well. The plot is engaging and there's as much action as there is philosophical reelection in this one.
The plot is creative and the exploration of Klingon-lore is great. You have to read it with the date of publication in mind, you can see by the cover how early this story was written and you'll need to expect that many Klingon concepts were either newly formed ideas or not even written into canon yet.
With that in mind. The Klingons in this story are great. They remind very much of TOS era Klingons and the author nails the characters very well. The plot is engaging and there's as much action as there is philosophical reelection in this one.
octavia_cade's review
4.0
This is excellent. I was honestly skeptical at first; I'd picked up the book expecting another easy adventure with Kirk and company, and it was very clear very soon that Kirk was only there to bookend a so-called historical novel about Klingons. I was not enthusiastic, and a very unappealing start to that novel - a lengthy and tedious game/battle sequence (and I do hate battle sequences, they bore me rigid) - had me very tempted just to put the thing down and walk away. I even came to Goodreads to check if other people had hated it as much as I did, and was surprised to see all the positive reviews... they were so positive I thought I had to keep reading. And I'm so glad I did. Once that off-putting beginning was over, this exploration of what it means to avoid war, and the relationship between a Klingon captain and a decidedly non-military human ambassador, an elderly scholar with strong pacifist beliefs, was just so strong, and so very thoughtful, that by the end I was both riveted and genuinely, enormously touched.
I've been reading Star Trek books a lot recently, especially over this past year, because they have the advantage of being generally hopeful and also generally popcorn. They don't require much of me, and I say that with affection; pandemic has given me new appreciation for escapist texts. This one, though, is a substantial cut above, and still hopeful even so, and I'm going to go out and find a copy of my own to keep, because the library (damn them) will not let me keep this one. And, you know, they probably shouldn't, because my giving it back means that other library users get to read it, and that's a good thing.
It's without doubt the best Star Trek book I've ever read.
I've been reading Star Trek books a lot recently, especially over this past year, because they have the advantage of being generally hopeful and also generally popcorn. They don't require much of me, and I say that with affection; pandemic has given me new appreciation for escapist texts. This one, though, is a substantial cut above, and still hopeful even so, and I'm going to go out and find a copy of my own to keep, because the library (damn them) will not let me keep this one. And, you know, they probably shouldn't, because my giving it back means that other library users get to read it, and that's a good thing.
It's without doubt the best Star Trek book I've ever read.
j00j's review
3.0
Ford was really telling an original SF story more than writing a Trek novel (the TOS characters only appear peripherally), and it's an interesting story. Most of the stuff about the Klingons has since been Jossed (to use an anachronystic term), but it's an intriguing look at an attempt to create backstory for the Klingons when there wasn't much of one. If I recall correctly, he even tried to explain the forehead thing...