Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

© by Gerald So | 4:30 AM

I enjoyed J.J. Abrams's 2009 Star Trek film and its bid to capture the optimism and possibility of the former franchise. I thought TV's Star Trek: Discovery would be a similar attempt, but it opted to shoot into the 32nd century, long after Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, filling in Christopher Pike's time as captain of Enterprise, promised to be an earnest throwback. I watched the first episode yesterday on YouTube, and it delivers.

Pike (Anson Mount) is called back to duty for a mission to rescue his XO (Rebecca Romijn), gone missing after a first contact assignment. Investigating, Pike and crew find the planet Kiley 279 has reverse-engineered warp technology after observing the event that time-displaced Discovery. Instead of limiting contact from there, Pike decides to appeal to Kiley 279's two main factions to use the technology wisely. In a stirring address, he outlines how his peaceful, united Earth rose from the devastation of nuclear war.

Some say this isn't true to Gene Roddenberry's vision, that it messes with lore to appeal to the sensibilities of today's audience, but I think you have to appeal to today's audience to have the most impact. You have to show why people today should care about a science fiction TV show set in a far-flung, optimistic future. Pike showed in his speech that a peaceful, united Earth can rise from the worst division. We'd prefer things not get that bad, but cooperation is possible even in the worst of times. That's the hope Star Trek represents, a message people will always need.

WILLFUL CHILD by Steven Erikson

© by Gerald So | geraldso.blogspot.com | 8:15 A.M.

In pursuit of smugglers, the starship Willful Child is commandeered by a powerful A.I. to search out its maker. Raised on Star Trek reruns by his grandfather, who made first contact with extraterrestrials, Captain Hadrian Alan Sawback is irreverent, impetuous, and inappropriate. He's also adventurous, open-minded, and clever enough to take on the moody A.I.

I heard about Willful Child on Twitter last month the day it was published. I hadn't read Erikson's other books, but his background as an archaeologist, anthropologist, and Star Trek fan was enough for me to jump aboard. Like Sawback, I was eager to explore the space and time Erikson thought up as the novel unfolded episodically.

Willful Child is a rollicking parody that provokes thought along the way. I hope it catches on with readers and leads to a series.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

In the J.J. Abrams-directed sequel to 2009's Star Trek, the bombing of a London archive puts Starfleet on high alert. A strategy meeting ends with a second attack by the fugitive John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) that kills Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) and several senior staff.

The top remaining commander orders Kirk, recently demoted to Pike's first officer, to pursue Harrison into Klingon space and kill him.

I had heard several negative reviews going in and thought the major plot twist had been leaked/publicized/spoiled years in advance. Added to my general pessimism for sequels, I was prepared to just tolerate this movie, but there was a lot more I didn't know, a lot of meat.

Into Darkness is most ingenuous in echoing the original Star Trek II but upending it. Some well-known lore was glossed over, making some twists feel abrupt, but nothing stopped me from enjoying. If another is made, I'm there.