BOOK REVIEW: Star Trek: Time Trap by David Dvorkin

 

*This review contains spoilers*

After receiving a distress call, the Enterprise attempts to assist a Klingon vessel that has become stranded in a strange storm in space. Upon beaming over to the ship, Captain Kirk finds himself suddenly thrust into what seems to be the future and under the control of the race that has been his mortal enemies for most of his career. Can he trust his senses and help these New Klingons achieve peace with the Federation?

In the original Star Trek universe, I would put this at a time between the movies Star Trek: The Voyage Home and Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country. Though there is no mention of the original Enterprise’s destruction, there is a reference to Kirk’s memories of being relegated to a desk job and vowing that he would never go back. Though this was published in 1988 (before the sixth film in the franchise was released), it is also somewhat problematic in that it has Kirk having a close relationship with a Klingon woman, a member of a race that the sixth film had him absolutely detesting due to the death of his son. Even though it is later revealed that he is under the influence of some pretty powerful drugs at the time, this is still somewhat unbelievable knowing the character’s obtuseness in such matters.

However, this is a well written and entertaining read. The author is obviously a fan, shown by the references that he makes to episodes of the original series, and he weaves a complex and exciting story. Any Star Trek fan will like this, even with the continuum issues.

MOVIE REVIEW: X

 

In 1979, at the beginning of the home video era, a group of amateur filmmakers rent out a farmhouse on the property of an elderly couple to shoot a pornographic movie. Unfortunately, they fail to inform their erstwhile landlords what they are doing, and when the oldsters find out there is hell to pay.

This stars Mia Goth, a British actress known for her erotic movies, as both the heroine Maxine and the female half of the homicidal couple, Pearl. The storyline in this touches on such things as beauty, aging, and self-worth. However, for everything else it is basically the porno version of the slasher films that were the rage in the last century. In fact, if not for the horror aspects of it, this movie could very well have the same rating as its name. There are multiple scenes of nudity and/or sexual activity, and there is hardly a sentence in it that does not have strong language permeating it. Definitely only for adults, it does provide a certain amount of suspense and speculation as to what is going to happen next. But the moral of the entire thing seems to be that, even if their hair is gray, their eyesight may be failing, and they may have trouble moving around, never, ever underestimate the older generation.