Publisher: Pocket Books

Author: Kevin Ryan

ISBN:

    The Edge of the Sword    0-7434-4598-8

    Killing Blow    0-7434-4602-X

    River of Blood    0-7434-4600-3

Rating: 3/5

The Original Series is one of the Star Trek subseries of Pocket Books. This is the second trilogy published and they’re currently in the middle of the third trilogy. The concept is to write stories set in between episodes of the original television series.

Not a new concept since Pocket Books used to place their stories in the 5 year mission period of Star Trek. But in the last decade or so they’ve gotten away from that, placing most of their books in periods after that:

-- The Lost Years time between the end of the first 5 year mission and the start of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

-- The second 5 year mission taking place between the end of ST:TMP and the beginning of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

-- The period after Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

The other thing about the TOS book series is that they’re not as focused on the main trio (Kirk, Spock and McCoy) as previous books. They try to feature either the secondary cast members or even bit players that appeared in the television show (Security Chief Giotto figured prominently in the last trilogy).

Anyways, in Errand of Vengeance author Kevin Ryan tells the story of Kell, a Klingon deep cover agent newly arrived as a security officer on the Enterprise. His mission is to gather information and do general sabotage.

Over the trilogy of books Kell learns that humans and the Federation are not the demons painted by the Klingon Empire. He eventually comes to see that his masters are the ones without honor and decides to help Kirk and company prevent a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

Overall the trilogy focuses on the security detachment of the Enterprise. In the first book they are stranded on a primitive planet fighting off Orions who have the advantage of numbers and superior weaponry. Then in the second book they have to help save a world of primitive Klingons from another band of Orions. In the last book the few survivors of the Enterprise security have to hold an almost-decommissioned star base from a powerful Klingon force.

The writing is fairly average for a paperback book. The plots are relatively simple and Kevin Ryan concentrates on characterizations, especially for Kell and some of the other security officers. It was an ok read but nothing really special.