The Delta Anomaly (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, #1) by Rick Barba

Oct 01, 2011 Phoebe added it

Shelves: research, young-adult, licensed, sci-fi

Sometimes I feel like I need a whole 'nother set of review criteria for licensed novels. Books like Rick Barba's The Delta Anomaly are great examples of why. If you're into Star Trek, specifically the 2009 reboot, and if you want to subsume yourself in more of the same, then you'll adore The Delta Anomaly. But of course, non-Trekkies should probably look elsewhere.

The Delta Anomaly is one of several stories offered in this series about Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and McCoy's pre-movie Starfleet careers....more Sometimes I feel like I need a whole 'nother set of review criteria for licensed novels. Books like Rick Barba's The Delta Anomaly are great examples of why. If you're into Star Trek, specifically the 2009 reboot, and if you want to subsume yourself in more of the same, then you'll adore The Delta Anomaly. But of course, non-Trekkies should probably look elsewhere.

The Delta Anomaly is one of several stories offered in this series about Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and McCoy's pre-movie Starfleet careers. A lot happens in this slim volume. There's a serial killer. And a budding romance. And a pre-Kobayashi-Maru simulation exam. And a cloud of nanomachines or six. This is a busy book for one so slim, and while the action scenes are well-written and the pacing perky, it also felt a bit scatter-shot, a touch schizophrenic.

But really, who reads licensed novels for the plots? Not me. I'm in it for the snappy dialogue and continuing evolution of familiar characters, and you find that in spades here. The characters are accurate--the most important quality in any licensed novel. Particularly nice is the slow-burn, growing romance between Uhura and Spock, a romance that is communicated entirely through innuendo. Their chemistry was fun in the movie (despite my own initial fangirly objections), and the tension between them in The Delta Anomaly really holds the novel together. Their scenes were easily the most satisfying of the entire book.

Barba also manages to pull in some general Trek lore from other incarnations, and mostly to very good effect. I only spotted one misstep (warning: super nerdy pedantry ahead) when he mentions a Ferengi in the 23rd century, and, worse, a Ferengi owning slaves. Quark would be so disappointed! But I don't think that even most Trekkies would be as bothered by this as I was. Because, you know, I'm a huge dork.

This was mostly a very solid Trek novel, and an interesting book for teen readers. With its focus on college-aged protagonists, the content is a tad more adult than some YA of a comparable length, but the drinking and flirting are relatively fluffy and really pretty fun. Basically, if you want to read about your favorite Trek characters as college kids, you could do worse than to read this book.(less)

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May 27, 2011 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Star Trek franchise had a major reboot thanks to the most recent film, which carried the name of the series as its title, by J.J. Abrams. Jumping back in time as well as an alternate timeline, the famous characters that set the stage with the original series are introduced to viewers during their early years of training at Starfleet Academy.

Books have always played a major role with many Star Trek fans, and it seems like that will be continuing as their is now a series being published for te...more The Star Trek franchise had a major reboot thanks to the most recent film, which carried the name of the series as its title, by J.J. Abrams. Jumping back in time as well as an alternate timeline, the famous characters that set the stage with the original series are introduced to viewers during their early years of training at Starfleet Academy.

Books have always played a major role with many Star Trek fans, and it seems like that will be continuing as their is now a series being published for teens (young adults) that really focuses on the characters in events that occurred prior to the film. This is the first book in the series.

While it is an alternate timeline, much is the same for the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Cadet James Kirk has easy connections with the ladies and a true talent for leadership. Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a curmudgeon (though, young for the time being) with a major talent in medicine. Spock is reserved, yet knowledgeable as a recent graduate of the Academy.

While Kirk is focusing on a series of team-based roleplaying exams to show that he is the best in this crop of cadets, a series of murders seems to be hitting San Francisco in the area around the academy. The victims seem to be missing organs, but their bodies show no signs of being cut to provide access to remove the organs. This would seem to parallel a series of murders that took place decades earlier and assigned to the "Doctor," and unidentified serial murder who was never caught.

Jim and Bones, as well as a few of their friends, are able to intervene when Uhura's Orion friend is attacked. They are able to stop the girl from being killed. This also provides them with some clues that will allow the cadet team to sort out what might be going on. Bones finds a mysterious, ashy substance that is really more than it seems to be. And some recordings that were captured by 911 calls captured some spoken words from the assailant that Uhura's talents in xenolingquistics might provide even more information.

It doesn't take long for McCoy and a team of Federation scientists to sort out that the ashy substance is not the result of smoke or fire, but are actually tiny nanobots that are able to slide through the cells in the body on the orders of the mysterious Doctor. The question is why the killer wants to do that and who he really is.

Barba has done a nice job of capturing the feel of the original characters, and the book is filled with sequences of action and interesting looks into the minds of familiar characters. In some ways, this helps explain a romantic relationship first explored in the recent film. The mystery also provides a surprising sneak peak into a major enemy that was originally introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation and further explored in Star Trek: Voyager. That element is presented by masterfully not made clear until the concluding pages of the book.

At times, the writing is overly simplistic, even when taking into account the fact that the book is written for a younger audience. In fact, the reading level is probably closer to the upper-elementary or middle school reading level rather than for older teens. This also explains why a group of cadets seem to play such an important role in the mystery when they are surrounded by experts from all fields with ties to Starfleet and the San Francisco Police Department. With that said, it is easy to let go of things like that and just sit back and enjoy the tale.

This is a pretty good premier title to the series. While it could have been better, it definitely has me looking forward to reading the next book in the series.(less)

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Mar 15, 2011 Breanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult

This is a new young-adult series based in the Star Trek timeline that was created for the 2009 movie. It focuses on the years that Kirk attends the Academy in San Francisco (i.e. before the main action of the movie).

This book is full of personality and energy, especially emanating from Kirk's character and a few others, which I felt were pretty close to the characters as portrayed in the movie. Still, parts were irritating, specifically the random use of 90's slang (I really cringed when Kirk sa...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, 2011-e-books, teen-sci-fi, with-reviews, 2011-teen-book-reviews

This is another book in the new Starfleet Academy series that features events taking place in the new time line that was established by the 2009 J. J. Abrams film. This series takes place while Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Uhura are at Starfleet Academy. In this novel a mysterious killer is prowling the streets of San Francisco and it is up to Kirk and the gang to track him down and stop him before more people fall victim to this madman.

Like so many ongoing series it is easy to sit down and fall int...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Bookstorequeer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi, series-sequel, young-adult, tv-movie-related

This book in the series was fun! The overarching plotline was fairly well-developed and laid out. The pacing was pretty good.

But I think, by far, that my favourite part was the descriptions of Kirk's Academy tests. It's fascinating to get a "look" at what that school is like and I thought it was a great way (especially through Hannah) to see a different side of exploration and Starfleet in general.

Unfortunately, the ending felt a little rushed and the resolution just wasn't there (made me wonder...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Die hard Trekkies who can ignore glaring mistakes in canon

Shelves: sci-fi, star-trek

This book is a whole lot better writing-wise compared to the second of this series. Which actually doesn't mean a lot, since both were written fairly poorly. It's written in the alternate universe created in Star Trek: 2009 (in case you didn't notice the very obvious cover). I am unsure whether or not this occurred before or after Kirk had his adventure on the Enterprise. I want to say it's a year or so after he joined the Academy, before the events of the movie.

I liked the characterization in t...more This book is a whole lot better writing-wise compared to the second of this series. Which actually doesn't mean a lot, since both were written fairly poorly. It's written in the alternate universe created in Star Trek: 2009 (in case you didn't notice the very obvious cover). I am unsure whether or not this occurred before or after Kirk had his adventure on the Enterprise. I want to say it's a year or so after he joined the Academy, before the events of the movie.

I liked the characterization in this book better than SA: "The Edge". The characters were slightly more dynamic, and Kirk's "girl" this time was likable and three dimensional. McCoy actually had more than a few pages in this book, and Uhura and Spock's "romance" was explored in the early stages of it. The problem was pretty neat for a biologist like myself and plausible as a good Sci-Fi novel should be. HOWEVER. This novel suffered from the same problem as the last novel which was: Researching problem, encounter problem, more research,... 30 pages until the end "SOLVED!" and that was it. All of a sudden the problem was solved. But it WASN'T solved. I understand that you need to have a future baddie to pit against our beloved Trek characters, but come on!! Lame! It's like the author didn't know how to finish it so he didn't!

Plus, this book and the one that comes after it, "The Edge", don't go together. This is supposed to be a series, at least get the canon right! Kirk and girl in this book are together at the end, but at the beginning of "The Edge", said girl doesn't exist. Uhura and Spock are intimate-ish in this book and in the next book it's like they haven't said more than two words to each other!! These authors clearly need to read one another's books before publishing a series. Take a hint from the many authors who coined "The 39 Clues". That flowed so much better!

Things I liked about this book: accurate (sorta) scientific knowledge, good Kirk characterization, interesting "villain", and good Kirk love interest.

Things that irked me: No real ending, how badly characterized McCoy was, the strained relationship of Spock and Uhura (both of whom were characterized poorly as well), and the fact that this novel was halting in how it flowed.

Pick it up only if you're a die hard Trekkie who can overlook horrible glaring mistakes in the AU verse.(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I have resisted the temptation to read any of the offspring of Star Wars and Star Trek until now. Rick Barba penned this particular story, and it is quite well done. It takes us back to the days when Kirk, McCoy and Uhuru are at Starfleet Academy in San Fransisco. It is a quick read, but there is hidden meat in her for true Trek fans who will realize the importance of the mystery that is unraveled in these pages. There is also romance, contact with City Lights that just might inspire a reader to...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Brenda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, geektastic, science-fiction

Boy, where to start?

Well, the book was ok. Not the worst thing I've read. I was curious enough to finish it although I felt it had some serious problems with world building as well as maintaining the already existing world.

I had a hard time understanding why first year cadets were involved in the investigation of serial murders. I could understand if they went off on their own and helped without consent of the official investigators, but the idea that authorities in the future would have no clue...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Clayton Barr rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was published before Starfleet Academy: The Edge, yet seems to take place after since The Edge covers the cadets' first weeks at Starfleet Academy while this story is well into the first year. Yet, here Dr. Griffin is still an instructor at the Academy's medical school even though he should have lost his medical and teaching licenses after the events of the The Edge. Also odd is that the Orion co-ed Gaila is already Uhura's roommate in The Edge, but is only a friend here, though the tw...more

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Jul 25, 2012 S. J. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: media-tie-in, sci-fi, star-trek-novels, ya

*3.5-4 Stars*

*The Gush*
Though I was unsure of this series, I none the less had to try it because of how much I love the 2009 Movie. I love the AOS Universe and all the potential it carries. So I took a chance and am glad I did. It has problems (see below) but was engaging with good characterization and situations fans would wish for.

Characters:
They're all here, from Kirk & McCoy to Spock & Uhura, Galia, and more. Their characterizations are sound based on what we know from the movie and...more *3.5-4 Stars*

*The Gush*
Though I was unsure of this series, I none the less had to try it because of how much I love the 2009 Movie. I love the AOS Universe and all the potential it carries. So I took a chance and am glad I did. It has problems (see below) but was engaging with good characterization and situations fans would wish for.

Characters:
They're all here, from Kirk & McCoy to Spock & Uhura, Galia, and more. Their characterizations are sound based on what we know from the movie and novelization and are fleshed out wonderfully by the plot. The Kirk/Uhura interactions are wonderful, full of snipes and sarcasm and yet with the beginnings of a working friendship showing as well. McCoy really shines in this, showing why he would later hold the CMO post on the flagship. Spock's moments are brief but the times his path nearly meets those of Kirk's are bittersweet in their potential to stave off what we know is coming.

Plot:
Harkens back to TOS Star Trek, with unknown aliens mixed with situations and elements familiar to the reader/watcher. Watching Kirk take Maru-esque test with differing successes work to set up the future events. We get to see the Academy, with various teachers and students popping up and making it feel populated by more than main characters. A very engaging mystery with twists and turns, the story is a page turner.

Writing:
This is a young adult volume and as such does not go as deep as many other novelizations might. However, the pace is good and the dialogue feels as if the actors are speaking them.

*The Rant*
My main complaint is the same with many YA media tie-ins, such as the Jedi Apprentice series, etc. The writer is torn between two absolutes: coming up with an engaging, complicated story and an a page limit. You invariably find a wonderful story that ends too quickly and rushed within 50 to 25 pages (some fewer) from the end. The reader ends up either with whiplash or with a loved story that ends so unfulfilled. One would wish that the good of the story would overrule something so arbitrary as page numbers.

*Conclusions*
Despite a rushed ending, this is a good addition to the AOS universe and our knowledge surround our heroes' time at the Academy. Well worth a read.(less)

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Apr 20, 2013 Ross Vincent rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to J.J. Abrams, there is a whole NEW universe of Star Trek with which one can explore. A place where Vulcan is no more (what?!? Please- the movie is almost 2 yrs old. If you aren’t aware of the events of the movie, then I am NOT going to give you a spoiler warning. Heck- what are you doing, reading my blog anyway?!?); a place where Kirk is a cocky young captain at like 25, instead of 30; a place where Spock and Uhura have a passionate (for a Vulcan) affair going on. And a place where main...more Thanks to J.J. Abrams, there is a whole NEW universe of Star Trek with which one can explore. A place where Vulcan is no more (what?!? Please- the movie is almost 2 yrs old. If you aren’t aware of the events of the movie, then I am NOT going to give you a spoiler warning. Heck- what are you doing, reading my blog anyway?!?); a place where Kirk is a cocky young captain at like 25, instead of 30; a place where Spock and Uhura have a passionate (for a Vulcan) affair going on. And a place where mainstay Trek writers are given the opportunity to explore a place where No One Has Gone Before..
Or so I had hoped.

Instead, the Powers That Be decided to postpone (I hope) the launch of a new line of books set in this new timeline, and instead, give us a series of Teen oriented novels, exploring the early years of Spock and Kirk and Bones, when they were at Starfleet Academy together, of sorts. Yeah- in much the same way that they tried the same with a series of James Bond novels at the start of last decade. Yes, folks, they Harry Potter-ed the Star Trek universe.

So, what happens in this book? Well, what starts out as an attack on an female Orion Cadet (vbeg) turns out to be an ongoing mystery dating back decades, involving The Doctor. (And yes, I am thinking the same thing- What does a Time Lord need with a Orion Girl?!? Luckily, this is a different Doctor- and what they needed from the Orion is part of the plot line). Enlisting the aid of Kirk, Uhura, and Bones, Starfleet Academy and SFPD hope to solve the mystery- before another victim of The Doctor is found.
Now, on to my opinions- :sigh: seriously?!?! Look, I have read many of the Teen oriented Trek books from the past (the Starfleet Academy books from the early 90’s by Peter David and Michael Jan Friedman; the youth oriented books associated with The Search for Spock; even my copies of The Truth Machine & Prisoner of Vega). But this- well, I guess I was so hoping to read the other books first, that reading this one was more of a exercise of the eyeballs. Definitely a read for young, first time viewers of Star Trek who are in their late tweens and teens. And maybe for Trek obsessed fanboys (which is why I read it), but honestly, it is something you can finish off in about 90 minutes (about the time it took me). And as for the villain- can you BE any more obvious in the clues; why not just say ”{FOLLOWING COMMENTS ARE DELETED FOR SPOILER PURPOSES }!”

Anyway, I have one more book in the series to read, and then I will have to read something gritty and uberviolent, just to clear the mental palate – I think I have a David Mack Trek book around somewhere.
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Nov 08, 2012 Marisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very engaging read based off of the Star Trek 2009 reboot movie, this novel is a enjoyable story, drawing the reader to who-dun-it with their favorite characters leading the way. Mr. Barba does a great job of building and developing Kirk, giving the reader an insiders look of how this AU version ticks and how he is hopelessly the same ( still loves the ladies).

Much to my delight Spock and Uhura have a bit of romance in here, nothing raunchy just a bit of fluff. I would go into more details ab...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Randy rated it 5 of 5 stars

When cadet James T. Kirk rescues an Orion cadet from a hulking seven foot fellow, he's in turn attacked, only escaping when an another cadet comes in, yelling about 911. He learns it's the return of a serial killer from twenty years before that had murdered seven people, somehow extracting organs without an invasive procedures. This ability gets him the name "The Doctor" from the police.

Kirk and McCoy investigate from one end, checking out the black smudge on the Orion's neck and learning someth...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: franchise, future, horror, star-trek, series, sci-fi, young-adult, ya

This is a quick sci-fi mystery story. I thought some of it relied too much on coincidenence. The author used Bones's catchphrase a lot. I enjoyed the subplot about Kirk and the scientific exploration examination. I enjoy learning more about Starfleet Academy, and the Kirk's love interest skepticism about Starfleet's real mission was a refreshing view. The alien/villain's link to the Delta Quadrant and the phrase that makes it seem like a certain well known Trek adversary was an interesting touch...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Mike McDevitt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Short, sweet, funny, scary, and a little sexy. What more can I ask? A fine beginning to the reboot written adventures. Cadets Kirk, Uhura, and McCoy juggle their studies with cracking a bizarre serial murder case. (Slightly hamstrung by the 2009 movie, Spock cannot interact with the other characters save for his girlfriend, since they won't meet him until they graduate. Not really a complaint, just an observation.)

I love the cameo from Orion Cadet Gaila, relentless in her pursuit of guys while d...more

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May 21, 2012 Louise (Nerdette Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-trek, young-adult, alien, science-fiction

It's quite shocking for me to not know that this existed! When I first saw this book in my local W.H. Smith's, I gave myself a mental slap on the wrist for not finding this two years ago. I didn't have enough money when I first saw it, so I took to Amazon for a copy (ah, good ol' Amazon).

The plot of The Delta Anomaly unravels at quite a slow pace; the main events and villains are slowly revealed. I liked how Barba has written a Star Trek story that young adults and teenagers can relate to, compa...more It's quite shocking for me to not know that this existed! When I first saw this book in my local W.H. Smith's, I gave myself a mental slap on the wrist for not finding this two years ago. I didn't have enough money when I first saw it, so I took to Amazon for a copy (ah, good ol' Amazon).

The plot of The Delta Anomaly unravels at quite a slow pace; the main events and villains are slowly revealed. I liked how Barba has written a Star Trek story that young adults and teenagers can relate to, compared to in the series when the characters are adults and face some rather "adult" situations. The story has a tendency to speed up and slow down a lot, but I liked this strategy as it kept me going to the big climax of the book, which occurs right near the end.

The book definitely feels like Star Trek to me, but a lot younger because obviously the characters are younger and say and do things that they would never do or say later on in life. For example, I highly doubt that Bones would give Kirk high fives and call him "man" in his thirties. That was a little out of character for him. I loved the minor "college" elements of this book - studying in coffee shops, playing pranks on other students, that sort of thing - it felt that something I would imagine going on with Starfleet Academy's more easygoing cadets.

Apart from a few out-of-character moments from Bones, I think that the characters were written very accurately. It didn't feel like I was reading a book with characters who happen to have the same names as Star Trek characters but are nothing like them, because they were written so well. However, I was disappointed in a lack of Spock, but I know why he isn't featured as much as the other characters (he's not a cadet in the Academy at this point, he's a Commander). That's just my inner fangirl getting in the way.

Although the book isn't set in space, I still liked the setting of San Francisco. I liked how futuristic the city is described to be, while it still retains its traditional beauty. I'm not familiar with San Francisco at all but I got a really good imagining of how the city would look like in the 23rd century.

Overall, this felt a bit like an episode to be. An enjoyable episode, but certainly not an amazing one. I quite enjoyed this book and its action (despite its lack of Spock), and I will definitely be continuing on with the series!

P.S. I'm really sorry for the poor quality of this review; I've been reading very little for the past week due to exams and I stopped right in the middle of this book.(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 David King rated it 3 of 5 stars

“The Delta Anomaly” by Rick Barba was the first novel released in the Starfleet Academy series of novels which are set in the JJ Abrams’ alternative version of Star Trek. However, it actually takes place after the events that occurred in the 2nd novel to be released which was entitled “The Edge” and therefore I read that book first.

The main plotline is based around the investigation of a rather strange serial killer who seems able to kill people without leaving a single mark on the bodies. Kirk...more “The Delta Anomaly” by Rick Barba was the first novel released in the Starfleet Academy series of novels which are set in the JJ Abrams’ alternative version of Star Trek. However, it actually takes place after the events that occurred in the 2nd novel to be released which was entitled “The Edge” and therefore I read that book first.

The main plotline is based around the investigation of a rather strange serial killer who seems able to kill people without leaving a single mark on the bodies. Kirk, McCoy and Uhura get dragged into the investigation when one of Uhura’s friends is attacked and Kirk manages to step in an save her. Of course, before long the cadet’s themselves are at risk when the killer appears to make a move on them.

In addition, the book also delves into some of activities and tests that the cadets are undertaking as well as taking an interesting look at the growing relationship between Uhura and Spock. If you think this all sounds a little bit busy for such a short book, I can confirm that you would be right. Barba has crammed a lot into the book which results in a breakneck pace with actions and thrills aplenty. However, I did find that this attempt to include a lot in the book meant that at times both the details were lacking and it could feel a little bit rushed.

I am happy to say that the main characters did feel correct compared to how they have been portrayed recently on the screen. What I really liked though was seeing how beneath Kirk’s youthful and rebellious exterior lies a good man with the potential to be a great leader. This was visible in the other characters as well to an extent, but it was Kirk whose potential you could really see.

One thing I would like to note is that whilst this book is set after “The Edge” there isn’t any particular advantage in reading that book first as the stories are pretty much self-contained so don’t worry if you read this one first. However, there are a few inconsistencies I noticed when reading this book that may have occurred due to the books being written out of order. For example, in “The Delta Anomaly” there is a Doctor present at the Academy as an instructor who I believe would have been thrown out following certain events that occurred during “The Edge”. There are few other little niggles like this that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel but were noticeable.

Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable Star Trek novel that shoul appeal to any teens out there who enjoyed the JJ Abrams movie. It could be a little bit light on details and rushed at times, but the fast pace and thrill packed storyline should more than appeal to the books intended audience.(less)

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Jun 03, 2011 Flannery rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-want-to-go-to-there, kcls, read-in-2011, swords-and-lasers, young-adult-teen, ya-space-quest-o-mine, reviewed-2011

This series is like reading a YA Star Trek soap opera. The first book in the series, The Edge, got me used to jumping back and forth between characters and I felt better about in this second installment. Though the author is different (and better), the tone felt similarly campy and fun. Kirk is still obviously a ladies’ man, and I still wish I was reading Spock/Uhura erotica. Wait, what? Did I just say that? Anyway, these books are a breeze to get through and full of action. For those unfamiliar...more This series is like reading a YA Star Trek soap opera. The first book in the series, The Edge, got me used to jumping back and forth between characters and I felt better about in this second installment. Though the author is different (and better), the tone felt similarly campy and fun. Kirk is still obviously a ladies’ man, and I still wish I was reading Spock/Uhura erotica. Wait, what? Did I just say that? Anyway, these books are a breeze to get through and full of action. For those unfamiliar with this set of Star Trek books, they are set in the alternate timeline of the most recent Star Trek movie and take place with most of our favorite characters while they are still at Starfleet. This one follows McCoy, Kirk, and Uhura as they help their superiors and the San Francisco PD solve the mystery of The Doctor, a killer who somehow manages to remove internal organs from his victims with no incisions. (I can’t wait for the future!) I’m a little iffy on whether Starfleet would actually have these cadets helping out to such an extent…as in, doing almost the entire investigation and crime-solving. That makes perfect sense…not.

I suppose this series is just “Life at Starfleet Academy” and that’s why we are reading about Kirk’s attempts to hit on girls and his progress through school exams, but those plot points just did not add too much to the primary storyline. The scientific explanation of The Doctor was rather interesting, though my eyes tend to glaze over anytime any word starts with “nano.” Whatever science dudes, I’ll take your word for it. And WTF was up with the ending? Talk about a tease. This isn’t even a review, it is just my random thoughts choppily strewn into paragraphs that have no common thread.

This series is an absolute guilty pleasure of mine. I honestly doubt whether any of my GR friends would enjoy it as much as I do but it definitely has a market. I’ll continue reading them in my quest to find space school stories, especially because it is so easy to pick familiar characters back up. And, of course, I want to see Spock and Uhura develop their relationship to the point it was at in the most recent movie. That’s logical, right?
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Jan 11, 2011 Michael rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult, star-trek

How can I say not that great. The characters were cookie cutter versions of themselves. I guess that is to be excepted when reading a teen novel about a favored franchisee. The story was a little interesting, but the story itself is a big let down. The best parts are seeing Kirk grow in his dumb down version to be the captain he is in the movies and tv shows. The villain in the book bad. Not bad like he's an evil person, but bad as in they used a really lame villain. I won't ruin who the villain...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Cathrine Bonham rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Trekkers and Trekkers in training.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 13, 2011 KJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rick Barba does a very good job of painting a picture and developing characters. However, even though this is an alternate universe, I don't think it gives license to do whatever the hell you want.

Rick, if you read this, PLEASE pay attention to Trek more. You've introduced technologies and species that didn't come into play until the TNG years. You've also brought in elements that were CLEARLY not part of Earth history at this point in Star Trek.

Come on! Show some respect to the subject and do a...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Loony Gryphon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Loony by: Deranged Pegasus

Shelves: read-post-graduation, read-non-manga

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 09, 2013 Bri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: librarybooks, sci-fi, tie-in-adaptation, wishlist, youth

I really enjoyed this book; it's probably one of the best tie-in novels I've read in any fandom. The characterizations were great. The plot was intriguing without being overly complicated. And I love the look at Starfleet training. Definitely everything I look for when I reach for a tie-in. I look forward to reading the other books in this series (especially the other one written by Barba).

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Oct 14, 2011 Lorie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Four stars for this? Yes, but then I'm a Trekkie! This is an adventurous youth book that follows the first paths of Kirk, Bones, Spock, and Uhura at Star Fleet Academy according to the NEW 2010 Star Trek movie, which I LOVED! Fast paced, good mystery, great characters, lots of humor. The typical violence and A smidge of profanity.

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Oct 03, 2011 Ken Eveleigh added it

It's always fun to follow the adventures of James T. Kirk, even as a cadet at Starfleet Academy. I also enjoy the fictionalized behind the scenes look at a military academy. I'm hoping these novels may movtivate young people to consider a military career.

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Dec 28, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great 1st book in the series that focuses on the crew of the Enterprise while still at Starfleet Academy. Kind of AU, but a whole lot of fun. I can see each of the actors from the new Star Trek movies in each chapter. Very well done. Looking forward to the rest of the series!

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May 19, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Such a fun step into Starfleet Academy. A short escape to my happy place. Took one star off for the predictability of the plot and Jim's overwrought romantic subplot.

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Jan 27, 2011 Walter rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excellent novel that really captures the feel of the "alternate" versions of Spock, Kirk, McCoy and Uhura in a good mixture of Academy days and a murder mystery. A quick paced good read.

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Mar 14, 2011 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-trek

Reading this book was a lot of fun. It certainly isn't great literature, but if you liked the last Star Trek movie, you will probably like this story.

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May 14, 2013 Kevin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: startrek

not a bad story and pretty well written. It just wasnt all that exciting and it does skew a bit younger than I prefer. I enjoyed it but I wont bother with the other Starfllet Academy books.

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title link	preview: The Delta Anomaly
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The Delta Anomaly (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (2010 series) #1)

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The Delta Anomaly (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (2010 series) #1)

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