Clint Hall's Reviews > Enterprise, The First Adventure

Gene Roddenberry didn't like money. Just kidding, he loved it a lot, but in his later years he imagined a world in which the human race didn't use a financial system. He figured this would solve homelessness and all other strife on planet Earth, enabling us to reach for the stars. It's a beautiful idea, but a flawed one. When the human race abandons the financial system they pitch tents in parks and demand hand-outs. There are no dreams of building spaceships or becoming better people, there is only idleness. This thought isn't based on negativity or cynicism, but observation, sadly.

This book suggests the 23rd century is still based on a financial system with characters making decisions based on what would be best for their pocketbooks. One of the characters even despises his low class upbringing when he compares himself to an opponent of higher financial standing. Another joined Starfleet because the pay was good. This all sounds absurd to someone who grew up with TNG characters explaining that money didn't drive humanity anymore. One must realize, however, there were many times during the original series when Kirk would declare one of his staff had just 'earned his pay for the week'. And why else would a pretty young girl enter Starfleet to become a Yeoman if not for a decent paycheque? I doubt delivering coffee to Kirk is just 'on her bucket list'.

I started thinking about these things due to a few throw-away lines during the First Act of the book, so I wouldn't fall asleep while reading. That First Act had so much potential--it felt like the perfect primer between 'The Cage' and 'Where No Man Has Gone Before'! Then it turned into some mash-up of 'Conscience of the King', without the murder-mystery, and 'For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky', except with furry, flying people.

One good aspect of this book was that someone finally made Sulu an interesting character, but all that flew away on the back of a flying horse. Sulu's ultimate decision to remain on the Enterprise had no real weight, and was more or less determined on the shrug of his shoulders. Yeah, these guys are cool, I'll stay.

The other part I liked, which would have been amazing if explored better, was the glimpses of Gary Mitchell's friendship with Captain Kirk. I understand him being there on the first mission would have affected how Spock and Kirk came to trust each other, but it was something I wanted more of the whole way through the book. And that was the main problem--I kept wanting this book to get better. Unfortunately, my wish did not come true.

Vonda McIntyre is a competent writer and I will probably read more of what she has written (she is an award winning author, after all), but this was a failure. Chances are, someone offered her a shipload of money to write this, and, since the world is currently based on the financial system, she had to accept the job to line her pockets with dirty dollar bills to make sure she never has to pitch a tent downtown. Maybe I would have a more favourable opinion about this book if I didn't have to use my own hard-earned money to buy it.