Review: The Last Roundup (TOS)

The Last Roundup, by Christie Golden, is the tale of Captain Kirk's
final adventure before the events of Generations. This being the final
adventure, there are a lot of "I feel old" moments from Kirk, as well
as a few of the other characters. There are discussions of age and how
things must finally be handed over to a new generation. It's also
quite a nice book, though it's very light without a lot of substance.


The Story
Captain Kirk, dynamic starship captain formerly of the USS Enterprise,
is feeling his age. He is currently teaching a course at Starfleet
Academy, "Command Decisions and Their Consequences." In it, he is
supposed to give the benefits of his years of experience to the new
crop of young cadets. This is not what Kirk wants to be doing, but he
understands his duties to the future and the fact that there are no
starships available for him to command.

Shortly after the last class of the semester, two of his nephews show
up with a proposition that is sure to entice, though it does take him
awhile to come to that conclusion. They want his help (and more
importantly, his patronage) in forming a scientific colony on a world
that has been given to the group by the enigmatic Falorians, a race of
beings who have applied for membership in the Federation. Kirk is even
able to convince his old shipmates, Scotty and Pavel Chekov, to join
him on the expedition.

However, there's something strange going on behind the scenes. Why did
the Falorians offer this planet, and what do they hope to gain? Will
Kirk be able to adapt to a peaceful planet where his military skills
are expected to go unneeded? Or will he even have to worry about that?
Once again, it's up to Kirk to save the Federation. Or is it?


What Did I Think?
First of all, I will say that this isn't necessarily the "final
adventure" for Captain Kirk, and it certainly isn't for the rest of
the crew, who pop up in various books that take place after
Generations. The reason it's not Kirk's is because, while the epilogue
takes place just as Kirk is getting ready to go inspect Enterprise-B,
it takes place months after the end of the story, so there is
definitely room for more. Not that I think there should be, of course.

Now, as for the book itself, it should make any Trek fan happy. It's a
thoroughly competent, enjoyable story. There's just not a lot of meat
to it. It's pretty short with a large typeface, so it's a quick read,
and I certainly wouldn't pay hardcover prices for it. If you're
looking for depth, go elsewhere. If you're looking for yet another
adventure with some of your favourite characters, then this would be a
good pickup at the library or in paperback.

My first complaint about it is that the original crew doesn't figure
in it very much, with the exception of Scotty and Chekov. That's not
necessarily a bad thing, of course, as some of the better Trek books
have involved only a few of the characters. The problem is that they
are featured in quite a few scenes, so why not make them a bigger part
of the story? As it is, they take up space that could have furthered
the story elsewhere. Uhura and McCoy are especially given short
shrift. They are helping Spock with the Klingon peace negotiations
that resulted from the events in the movie Star Trek VI. A number of
scenes of these cultural and medical exchanges happen at the beginning
of the book, but that's the extent of their contribution. Sure, they
go along for the ride with Spock after Kirk is reported missing, but
they don't actually do anything. They're background material, and they
deserve better than that in their supposed "final adventure." Sulu is
given just as short shrift, but he does get a couple of juicy scenes
that also set the stage for future Sulu novels if Pocket Books is so
inclined. He's characterized very well, overall.

Not only are some of our favourite crewmembers sidelined, but their
stories introduce more superfluous characters that clutter the book.
The Klingon opera singer is just filler, giving Uhura somebody to play
off of (which, since Uhura doesn't do much involved with the story,
seems even more needless). The Klingons are only in the book to get
Spock and the rest involved. They don't do much but talk, fire a few
weapons, and act as ferries for our heroes.

The story, what is left of it, is actually pretty good. Kirk is
feeling his age, and he's feeling useless. He doesn't want to be stuck
in a classroom, but there's nothing else active for him to do. He
wants to be in Starfleet, even if it only needs him as a teacher of
the young. The dynamics of Kirk's story are well done, with Kirk being
involved just enough to make him the obvious hero of the story, but
enough happens despite his actions or before he can intervene that he
is shown that maybe it is time to stop pining for another starship. He
realizes that he has a new role in life, and that he must embrace it.
I thought Kirk's thought processes through this entire book were
wonderful and Golden is to be commended for creating a story where
Kirk has to deal with this without wallowing. As a caveat to my point
about McCoy above, he does figure very prominently in Kirk's
conclusions, and the final talk between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is a
wonderful tribute to the friendship these three share. As a Trek fan,
I was moved by this scene, and it made the book worth finishing.

None of the other characters are very interesting, though they do
serve their parts well. Skalli, a cadet who becomes very attached to
Kirk and serves as an illustration of what Kirk's reputation can do,
is the most well-rounded. Some have complained that she bounces back
and forth between overly emotional and enormously competent, but I
think Golden pulled off the difference. I think readers who feel that
way missed the point. Like Kirk, they just saw the hysterical,
annoying character, not realizing that it's perfectly possible for
that sort of person to be skilled. I did find her annoying at first,
but I warmed to her after a bit. There's also a female admiral who
Kirk is friends with, and while there is a bit of sexual tension, it's
obvious they're just good friends. I'm glad Golden was able to avoid
that cliché.

If you're a Trek fan, you'll probably enjoy this story. It's not
ground-breaking, but it is pleasant. Just don't buy the hardcover. The
story's not meaty enough to support it. Check it out, or pick up the
paperback. It'll still be there when you're ready for it.

David Roy