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List Price: $25.00 | | Publisher: Star Trek
Salesrank: 191654
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| Our Price: $6.99 |
| Used Price: $3.00 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
No one knows Captain James T. Kirk better than William Shatner, who portrayed him throughout Star Trek, the Original Series, and seven subsequent Star Trek feature films, making him in the process one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable science fiction characters on the planet. Since then, William Shatner has continued to explore and expand the career of Captain Kirk in no less than nine successful Star Trek novels. Now he turns his attention to the one part of Kirk's backstory that still remains a tantalising mystery, and one that his fans have always wanted to read - his formative years at Starfleet Academy.
Collision Course (Star Trek: Academy) Reviews:
Uninspiring Trek fare 
2009-10-26 - Much as the recent Star Trek film gave us a slightly off canon version of Star Trek, this book does likewise, having Kirk and Spock meeting and joining Starfleet at the same time. Kirk has anti-Starfleet baggage and Spock is trying to find his true identify and path in life. The story is spun around Kirk and Spock doing their own investigations into a smuggling ring, both coming at it from different directions and eventually working together.
Well, Mr Shatner knows his character and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens know how to churn out a good Trek novel, but in the end, this didn't really work for me. Having said that I am a Trek fan of old, but gave up on the books a few years ago, only occasionally dipping into one, so maybe I am asking too much.
With this one, the target audience seemed to sit between YA Trek fans and adult fans, but sat uncomfortably on the fence between the two. Kirk is portrayed as a young technological genius (never saw that in the series or films!) and it didn't sit right with the Kirk we eventually saw on screen. Spock is better in the way he is pitched although some of the Vulcans (including some Vulcan bad guys) just did not feel right with what we know about the Vulcans.
So Kirk and Spock scamper through the story, brushing against both Starfleet, assorted family and the bad guys and (in Kirk's case) the trauma of a past incident. Obviously the climax takes place on.... well you can guess where before we slip back into Trek Canon with our heroes joining different branches of Starfleet.
This just felt very average, and I was never really engaged and in summary, it did remind me why I gave up reading Trek books.....
The great, the bad, and the just plain terrible fun. 
2009-06-16 - This book was hard to read, I will admit. Struggling with the idea of Kirk as a physics/electronics genius punk kid was hard enough, when in comes Goth Spock, in black cape and stringy black hair, to boot, through the doors of the pick-up bar..... But, I'd paid good money for this and I don't give up on books very often, never with Star Trek books, no matter how bad. Besides, I just had to see where this odd story went.
There are several great parts to Collision Course, and most pertain to Spock. His views that his antiquated parents, along with most adults and humans, are generally lacking good sense, rings very true and made me laugh. I imagine my boys find it amazing I've managed all these years. Then, Spock catches himself feeling superior and feels guilty...then feels guilty over feeling guilty.
There's other moments that brought a laugh- his study of 'classic Earth literature' (check out Miller's Tropic of Cancer), as does his struggle with slang and the misunderstandings that brings. Spock's portrayal as a confused Vulcan/Human trying to find himself comes across both humorously and, at times, touchingly. The scenes between Spock and his parents are extremely well done.
As for the bad, I'm afraid that's where Jim Kirk comes in. Somehow, he just does not fit. And, I'm not sure why, but a huge part of the problem is his being the electronics genius who can outsmart Starfleet at every turn, of course. Perhaps the next book will bridge the gap enough for me to accept the authors' concept.
Then too, we see only the anguished side of Kirk- he hates Starfleet, loathes his father, feels like he has to take care of his no-account brother..... Only when bantering with Spock do we see anything bright or interesting. There's not much to really like there, otherwise.
And the terrible? The ending heroics. Kirk summed it up best as the improbable mess got underway: "I don't believe it."
Neither did I.
Despite all this, the dialog and character interaction was enough to make me interested in the upcoming sequel.
Bottom line:
If you can suspend your ideas about Star Trek canon and overlook super-teenager Kirk, you'll find great dialog, good character development, and a so-so plot.
If you are a stickler for canon, or if you cannot bear anything in which Kirk or Spock act in the least bit out of character, stay away from this book. There are plenty others out there to read...find a different one.
Collision Course (Star Trek: Academy) 
2009-06-08 - I truly enjoyed Mr. Shatner take on the origin story of Star Trek. It was nicely written with good use of characters. The story was remarkably similar to recently released movie (no connection). He provides details throughout the book that allow the reader insight into the thoughts, actions and reasoning for the behavior of the characters as adults.
A Nice Little Read
2009-04-25 - While looking for something to read and not seemingly having any luck, I came across this wonderful little book. Now I consider myself a die hard Trekkie or Trekker if that is the term you prefer, however, I have never been a fan of the books. I hadn't read any since the Vulcan Heart series by Schwartz and Sherman and most of what I had read I actually listened to, back in my colleges days when I would take the long drives home during school breaks.
Here's the thing, this is quick and easy read and its just fun. I know that this is Shatner's view of how Kirk and Spock met and has nothing to do with how the new movie will portray their first meeting but its still good. The book makes just enough references to characters and events that we know from watching TOS, that you can't help but smile when you read about them.
The Next Generation 
2009-01-27 - I'd call myself a Star Trek fan, though not as well versed as most. I catch TOS whenever it's on. I've watched most of Voyager and TNG, and have managed to see several of the movies, including The Wrath of Khan and First Contact. Through it all, I've managed to pick out what I view to be the best aspect of all that I've seen:
That would be the relationship between Captain James Tiberius Kirk and Commander Spock.
Now, as I said, I am not as well versed as most Trekkies. One review I read tore down the book immediately based on the simple fact that Kirk and Spock had met during their Five Year Mission aboard the Enterprise. I personally found this unfair, as this story is fantastic. In the opening pages, Mr. Shatner lets us know this is non-canon, so do not let your inner Trekkie stop you from enjoying this fine adventure.
The story unfolds with a young Kirk and Spock set on a "Collision Course", so to speak, in that they are both involved in a criminal conspiracy through some fault of their own. In doing so, these characters, so completely different on paper, slowly start to find something familiar in each other.
The conflicts and plot-twists are many, some entertaining and some startling. On the whole, the entire journey through a criminal underworld and Starfleet Academy was much more than I expected. There is no shortage of drama and heartbreak.
The real gem in "Collision Course", though, is the interaction between Kirk and Spock. Each struggling with the scars of the past and their problems in the present, but both slowly managing to take steps towards finding common ground in their vastly different pathways. The results are exciting, and the journey is a joy to watch unfold.
As for the Star Trek universe, I was delighted to find that nothing was completely glorified (Except for the Enterprise itself, but come on). Everything is reserved, and, unlike some sci-fi novels that try to send you through a history lesson like its a textbook, the technologies are slowly revealed at the right time and nothing ever seems like a burden. It's the difference of being told what the Star Trek universe is like, and actually experiencing it, which Mr. Shatner pulls off expertly.
If I understand correctly, this novel was released in 2007 and a sequel was due out the next year, but that obviously hasn't happened yet. This might be because of the new movie that is being released soon that I believe takes place around the time of these novels.
I hope this doesn't affect the second novel's release much longer. I would love for this story to continue and see what trouble Kirk and Spock could possibly cook up.
