'When the deck tremors began, the first officer was already braced for the movement but McCoy immediately lost his balance. Above the whine of the ship's engines came the shatter of glass hitting a far wall and the crack of bone against metal.'
Dreams of the Raven (#34 Pocket, #3 Titan) (1987) by Carmen Carter is a strong character driven tale which also has a well crafted plot, if at times arguably cliched. Although the book's focus is McCoy there is also a great deal of character development for Kirk, Spock, and even Nurse Chapel.
Carmen Carter is better known for get Star Trek TNG novels, having penned three. She has also written a few short stories and a good many Star Trek themed essays! I think some will be easier to get hold of than others (Vulcan as a Meritocracy (1986)) but I want to at least read a couple!
I didn't really know what to think when I (belatedly) picked up Dreams of the Raven for the first time, but the blurb intrigued me and the cover is unusual... though not 'pretty' by my definition! However, I do like the expression on McCoy's face... but I am a little confused with what Kirk is doing here, since it has zero bearing on anything in the story. The ships in the background kind of illustrate a scene in the novel... kind of. I did think that Dreams of the Raven was going to be another 'supernatural' type story like Ghost Walker... I was fooled! Well, it seems if you're like me and choose Star Trek novels by their covers, you'll always be surprised by the content!
I've often wondered what kind of briefs were given to the artists for these covers (as you know) because sometimes they are somewhat offbeat, but also who comes up with the tag lines? The editor? The author? Someone paid outrageous sums of money to read books and come up with exciting but usually inaccurate statements? And do they also write the mostly inaccurate blurbs? I'll ask an author friend of mine and get back to you!
I feel obliged to inform you first that I didn't like this novel, I LOVED IT. From the first page of the prologue to the very last page of the final chapter and when I finished it, even though I knew the story had reached it's conclusion and tied up all its ends neatly, I wanted more. It ended too soon. Dammit Carter, why did you only write one TOS book?! I could have read a series of books by her, she has a real gift for writing characters, she can write suspense, she handles combat scenes with consummate ease and she manages to make it look easy.
The story on it's own was rather good. The Enterprise is docked at a civilian station when they receive a distress call from a Frenni merchant ship. The Enterprise goes to the aid of the civilian ship but instead is ambushed. The civilian ship rams the Enterprise - which is only saved by the virtue of its shields - crippling a nacelle and effectively disabling the ship's warp capabilities. Low on power and hobbled the crew of the Enterprise must fend off alien attacks whilst trying to work out what these new and terrifying aliens are and what they want!
Meanwhile, McCoy suffers a head injury which seemingly causes him to suffer from amnesia, making him forget the last twenty five years of his life! However, the true cause of his reversion to his twenty four year old self is not as simple as a bump on the head, and relates more to the terrifying new aliens than anyone (even he) realises.
That's it. That's all I'm going to tell you story wise, because it'll be truly spoilt otherwise. It's worth reading - do it.
Carter manages to tap into the rhythm of the characters - she doesn't miss a beat for example when Spock and McCoy are having a tiff you just know what is going to come next and she isn't afraid to show the effect of McCoy's absence on Kirk, or even Spock whose emotional response is keenly observed by his friend. Dreams of the Raven presents a broken trinity in a way that simple death or belief of death doesn't manage, because McCoy is alive an well in front of them but is unreachable. The palpable sense of loss from Kirk is heart breaking, especially as the McCoy in front of him hasn't matured enough to respect him as a Captain, let alone ever consider him close friend material. I think Kirk suffers more here, isolated as he is from his confidante, friend and sounding board. Carter implies something touching, that Kirk's strength is drawn from his two friends, when one is missing he is plagued with doubt. Kirk of course isn't so dependant that he can't function under the circumstances, we know his will is greater than that, but we can see that his victories come with more of a struggle, and his confidence in his own decisions wavers, even with the acceptance of his first officer.
Spock's loss is tacit, not characterised by emotions like Kirk's roiling sea, but instead calm and still... too calm and still. Kirk sees it, his understanding translating the slight hesitation and the unspoken question. I was tempted to say that Spock is lonely without McCoy there, but that's not quite right since Kirk really is his anchor and I don't think he could ever be lonely with his t'hyla beside him, it's more... ripples in his calm sea. A motionless sea reflects like glass but ripples reflect and distort and make things interesting. That's the imagery that came into my head anyway. I love extended metaphors.
McCoy hasn't lost a thing by his estimation, only gained a second chance to live his life without regret. I've got to commend him for his quick acceptance that he has lost the memories of 25 years of his life, but then, adaptability is the power of youth, eh? Some people have bad things to say about this novel because they don't like the characterisation of McCoy, that he's too different or unlikable, but that's the point isn't it? It took 25 years from that point for McCoy to become the man he did, wouldn't it cheapen him to be the same man at 24 as he is at 49? The other thing people complained about was that Carter used the 'amnesia' plot device and that it made the whole situation too 'cliched... have they watched TOS?! Anyway, it transpires that the whole 'amnesia' thing wasn't really caused by the fall at all but his own subconscious trying to remind him of a patient he had seen as a young doctor who had encountered these aliens but had been considered insane.
Some reviewers have also said that Dreams of the Raven is mainly concerned with adding more backstory to McCoy, I'm not really sure that is true. Carter dips her feet into his history just enough to show character growth which ultimately makes him essential to the Enterprise. I guess I feel this story is more an analysis of how and why Kirk and the Enterprise succeeds where others have failed and gives credit where credit is due.
ANYWAY - although I love this book, I really don't want to write anymore about it because I'd end up spoiling it, and the suspense will be ruined if I say anymore. So read it dammit and enjoy it!
5/5 - I'm a doctor not a xenobiologist!
Spock's loss is tacit, not characterised by emotions like Kirk's roiling sea, but instead calm and still... too calm and still. Kirk sees it, his understanding translating the slight hesitation and the unspoken question. I was tempted to say that Spock is lonely without McCoy there, but that's not quite right since Kirk really is his anchor and I don't think he could ever be lonely with his t'hyla beside him, it's more... ripples in his calm sea. A motionless sea reflects like glass but ripples reflect and distort and make things interesting. That's the imagery that came into my head anyway. I love extended metaphors.
McCoy hasn't lost a thing by his estimation, only gained a second chance to live his life without regret. I've got to commend him for his quick acceptance that he has lost the memories of 25 years of his life, but then, adaptability is the power of youth, eh? Some people have bad things to say about this novel because they don't like the characterisation of McCoy, that he's too different or unlikable, but that's the point isn't it? It took 25 years from that point for McCoy to become the man he did, wouldn't it cheapen him to be the same man at 24 as he is at 49? The other thing people complained about was that Carter used the 'amnesia' plot device and that it made the whole situation too 'cliched... have they watched TOS?! Anyway, it transpires that the whole 'amnesia' thing wasn't really caused by the fall at all but his own subconscious trying to remind him of a patient he had seen as a young doctor who had encountered these aliens but had been considered insane.
Some reviewers have also said that Dreams of the Raven is mainly concerned with adding more backstory to McCoy, I'm not really sure that is true. Carter dips her feet into his history just enough to show character growth which ultimately makes him essential to the Enterprise. I guess I feel this story is more an analysis of how and why Kirk and the Enterprise succeeds where others have failed and gives credit where credit is due.
ANYWAY - although I love this book, I really don't want to write anymore about it because I'd end up spoiling it, and the suspense will be ruined if I say anymore. So read it dammit and enjoy it!
5/5 - I'm a doctor not a xenobiologist!
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