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The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonian Singh
Rating: 
Series: The Original Series - The Eugenics Wars Volume 1
Published: July, 2001
Author: Greg Cox
Review by: Lt. Commander Kali D'or |
Stumbled across this one while on a business trip and just had to have it. I remembered how much I liked Episode #54 Assignment Earth and the characters Gary Seven, Roberta Lincoln and Isis, the black cat. The actors were perfectly cast, the characters had unique and interesting personalities, and at the end, I wondered what would happen to all of them next. Their interaction with the Enterprise away team, and the ramifications of that mission were always a question without an answer.
And of course, we all remember, fondly or not (depending on your point of view) Kahn Noonian Singh and his adventures in Episode #21 Space Seed and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. What I was not aware of, until I read this book, was the connection between the two.
James T. Kirk and the Enterprise have been assigned a diplomatic mission of sorts that will bring the past rushing back to the present as he, McCoy and Spock turn back the clock, dredge up upleasant memories, and explore Earth's history. The Planet Sycorax, and the Paragon Colony are the subject of an investigation by the Federation. Paragon wants to join the United Federation of Planets. Problem is, noone really knows them, what they have been doing on Sycorax for a very, very long time, and how they even manage to survive there. And, what is most unsettling to the Enterprise and the Captian and his senior officers, is the colony's very open policy regarding "cloning".
As we all know, genetic engineering is a really big issue, "one of the Federations fundamental principles, a centuries-old taboo perhaps second only to the Prime Directive in its scope and sanctity...." (that is from the very first page of the book - and it can't be said better). In past books, movies, and episodes of the television series, there have been many references to the Eugenics Wars, but no solid details. We have always known that Khan and his friends were genetically engineered, but why? And what did that have to do with the Wars?
As Kirk and the Enterprise hurries toward Sycorax, questions are raised, and answers must be found before they confront the situation. And, to make matters worse, the Klingons are involved. In order to better understand what happened three hundred years ago, Mr. Spock, with perfect Vulcan logic, suggests Kirk review the historical records of that time, and there the adventure begins.
Greg Cox does a masterful job, from the very beginning, setting up the reader to want more and more detail. We move quickly back and forth between 1974 - Gary Seven, Roberta and Isis, the cat - fast forward to the present - The Enterprise - the surface of Sycorax, and back again to a secret project hidden in the deserts of the Indian continent. The characters are brought back to life with purpose and integrity to the story line. The author had obviously done a heck of alot of research and it shows in the dialog, the locations, characters, and the attention to detail. Little things from times and adventures past are deftly included in the story line, small details that a true fan will appreciate and laugh at. Smile and say "I remember that", "I know when that happened".
I am not going to tell you much more of the plot - it is really a mystery that is explained, a War that starts, and is a perfect example of how one man's actions in the past can definitely influence what happens next, even 300 years of our future. This book is only the first in a series. The author gives no hint of how many books will be written, when the next one wil be published, or who and/or what will appear in it. But he has definitely tweaked my interest and I am sure I will buy the next one as soon as it is released, and tell you all about it as soon as I can get it read. This is a keeper!!
Title: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonian Singh
Author: Greg Cox
Review by: Lt. Commander Kali D'or
