Main Characters: Jim Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Spock, Lt. Valeris, General Chang, Chancellor Gorkon
Minor Characters: Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, Azetbur, Martia, Adm. Cartwright
Point of View: ( ) First Person ( ) Camera-Eye (*) Omniscient
Symbols: Lt. Valeris, Spock's painting (the expulsion from Paradise)
PLOT LINE:
Introduction: Jim Kirk visits Carol Marcus in hospital due to an attack by Klingons on Themis; Praxis, a Klingon moon explodes, Enterprise escorts Klingon's Chancellor Gorkon to peace talks with Federation.
Narrative Hook: Photon torpedo fired at Gorkon's ship, Gorkon is assassinated.
Rising Action: Kirk and McCoy charged with Gorkon's death, given a life sentence on a penal colony, conspirators uncovered, Enterprise rescues the two, heads to peace conferences, attacked by Dakronh.
Climax: Kirk beams down to peace conferences, saves the President and Azetbur from the conspirators plan for their assassination.
Falling Action: Conspirators arrested, conference continues successfully.
Resolution: The crew of the Enterprise heads home, after their last voyage.
What incident begins this story? The Klingon moon Praxis explodes, which gives Chancellor Gorkon the opportunity to put forward his plan for peace between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets. Kirk is chosen to escort the Chancellor through Federation space to the peace conference site.
What is the major conflict? The major conflict of this story is men vs. men, the crew of the USS Enterprise vs. the conspirators working to keep the fedreation and Klingon Empires at war.
What further events complicate this story? Kirk and McCoy are charged with the death of Gorkon, and are sentenced by the Klingons to life at the penal conlony at Rura Penthe.
The crew of the Enterprise learns that the Klingons have developed a new ship that can fire when cloaked, and they must face this ship to buy time in order to save the peace talks.
How is the conflict resolved? Lt. Valeris, one of the conspirators aboard the Enterprise is forced to confess (Spock did a Vulcan mindmeld with her). It is learned that the conspirators' plan is to assassinate Gorkon's daughter, Azetbur, the new Chancellor at the peace conferences, to end the peace talks. The Enterprise rushes there, and the Dakronh attacks her until the Excelsior and Sulu arrive and the Enterprise discovers the Dakronh's one flaw. Then manage to destroy the Dakronh and beam down to the planet to save Azetbur and the UFP President.
What is the setting of this story and how does it contribute to the novel as a whole? The major setting of this story is on the Enterprise and Rura Penthe, bot in interstellar space, in the late 23rd Century. Were this story on 20th Century Earth, it would make no sense, there are no starships here and I've never seen any Klingons here either, both two important parts of the movie.
A theme is a general statement that the author wishes to make about life. Write one sentence which states the theme of this book. The theme of this story is that all good things, good or bad, must end, and that the resulting change can frighten people because that was the only way that they had ever known.
List at least two quotes that you think are worth remembering.
"People can be very frightened of change." He [Kirk] hesitated. "I know I was."
"All I can say, Mr. Chekov, is--" Kirk hesitated long enough to catch Spock's gaze "-- the only way to find out if a man is trustworthy--" ". . . is to trust him," Spock finished.
"There is an old Vulcan proverb," Spock said. "'Only Nixon could go to China.'"
Comment on the author's style. The author, although the point of view is omniscient, withholds certain information from the reader to build suspense, but reveals a little to foreshadow what happens later in the story. The story isn't told through any one person's eyes, as in 3rd person limited, but the whole truth is not revealed.
Why did you dis/like this author? I liked this author because of the way she combines the omniscient and limited points of view to create suspense and foreshadowing what will later happen.
Why did you dis/like this story? I like this story because I like Star Trek. Another reason I like this book is because it lets the reader see the characters' thoughts and feelings more directly than the movie. Reading the story will let me watch the movie with more understanding.