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Star Trek Academy: Collision Course (Star Trek: Academy #1)

by William Shatner, Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 444 ratings · 71 reviews

"If you think you know how it all began, think again..."Young Jim Kirk wants nothing to do with Starfleet, andnever wants to leave Earth. In the summer of 2249, he's a headstrong seventeen-year-old barely scraping by in San Francisco, haunted by horrific memories from his past.

In the same city, a nineteen-year-old alien named Spock is determined to rise above the emotional...more

Hardcover, 452 pages

Published by Pocket Books/Star Trek (first published October 16th 2007)

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Aug 20, 2012 Vanete rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-trek, science-fiction, books-owned

As someone who loves alternate universes in stories, this book was definitely intriguing. I also loved interweaving of the TOS canon, and getting a bit of background on what Kirk experienced on Tarsus IV - something we never really got in the episode "The Conscience of the King".

What the book lacks in writing style, it makes up for in characterization. Not really surprising, given who the front runner is; Shatner himself, the man who brought the character of Kirk to life. In this, he is not yet...more

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Mar 18, 2009 Matthew Rasnake rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of The Kirk, Trek fans

Shelves: sci-fi, star-trek

It is always with a certain amount of trepidation that I watch or read something "historical" that is set within the Star Trek universe that I love. I am not the kind of geek who lives and dies by the canon, but still I don't quite like it when writers muck about too much with things that might not quite jive with it. This is one of (the many) reasons for my concern and hesitation regarding the forthcoming Star Trek movie "prequel," and it has ended up coloring, to a certain extent, my enjoyment...more It is always with a certain amount of trepidation that I watch or read something "historical" that is set within the Star Trek universe that I love. I am not the kind of geek who lives and dies by the canon, but still I don't quite like it when writers muck about too much with things that might not quite jive with it. This is one of (the many) reasons for my concern and hesitation regarding the forthcoming Star Trek movie "prequel," and it has ended up coloring, to a certain extent, my enjoyment of this very serviceable Trek novel.

As usual, Mr. Shatner is assisted by a couple of well-known (in Trek circles, anyway) co-writers, the Reeves-Stevenses, and it is unknown just what the extent of their involvement is. I was something of a fan of Shatner's "TekWar" series of novels, and though they were, I'm fairly certain, ghost-written, they were understood to be largely Mr. Shatner's work. My feeling is that he is the "idea man," and that he and his co-writers work together to build the plot and storyline, while they do most of the heavy-lifting. Ultimately, it's not really all that important, as this is still a Star Trek novel, whether it's written by William Shatner or Joe Bob Davis. What Shatner does bring to this novel, presumably, is a unique perspective into the mind and motivations of the main protagonist--James T. Kirk, rebellious youth.

Overall, this is a nice little book. There's some good character interaction, a bit of peril that's not too over-the-top, and a somewhat interesting main plot that ties into a part of Kirk's past and allows for a large helping of surprisingly good exploration of that part.

I particularly enjoyed some of the interactions between Spock and his parents. I felt like they captured these characters possibly the best out of all of them. We see Spock struggling with his human side, Sarek living in denial, and Amanda trying to be understanding to both and hold the family together. It's a good dynamic and well realized. The same cannot be said for the Kirk family characterization.

But where this book falters, for me, is in those parts that become a bit uncertain when held up to the light of canon Trek. Not that anything in the book (so far as I noticed, anyway) directly conflicts with anything that was explicitly covered by the original series episodes. The trouble is more in that, had these events happened, they most certainly would have been discussed in any of several of the original episodes where they might have been relevant.

That Kirk and Spock might have been friends before the vulcan served with Captain Pike on the Enterprise was never explicitly denied, but you would think that Kirk would have been more familiar with Spock's history with that captain, had they been friends all along. My impression was always that Kirk and Spock were both assigned to the Enterprise, and that they became friends while serving together in that capacity--a notion that this novel doesn't support.

Finally, the manner in which Kirk and Spock (and their small team) manage to solve the puzzle and save the day is a bit too contrived in the details for my taste. Not to give it away, but certain things happen in those closing chapters that would have been impossible for Kirk to never talk about.

I will say that the authors (or their editorial team) did a great job researching various canon and non-canon ideas. There were lots of touches not only from established classic canon, but also from Enterprise-series canon and non-canon sources as well.

Despite my misgivings, this was an enjoyable book, and well worth the read if you're a fan of the Kirk. If you have trouble looking past some of the liberties that authors take with gaps in the canon, you might want to avoid this 'til you get over yourself a bit. If you're new to (classic) Trek, this might be an interesting introduction to the two major characters, and to the universe as a whole.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall I found this book to be quite enjoyable. There are definitely two different writing styles going on, causing me to wonder how much of the book Shatner actually wrote himself versus how much his co-authors wrote. The less coherent writing style, which seems to predominate about the first third of the book, abounds in sentence fragments; at first I found this slightly amusing (and somewhat annoying), but eventually I became accustomed to it. The central conflict seems to drag a bit for abo...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Found this book in unread condition in a second hand box. Best 50p I have spent in a long while.
I really wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised.
So long as you can accept the concept that Spock and Kirk met as teens this is a fun book, which entertains and informs, and stays within the star trek universe without getting bogged down in star trek lore.
I felt the story did a great job of capturing the essence of the relationship between the two main characters and I appreciated the clear...more

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Mar 07, 2009 Karen added it

This is a surprisingly well written book by William Shatner--until you look at the cover again and realize he had help from Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, two of the best Star Trek novel writers.

However, that doesn't take away from the story. Young Spock and Jimmy Kirk meet pre-Starfleet Academy, in San Francisco, both determined to have nothing to do with Starfleet, until circumstances force them both to enlist to avoid criminal prosecution. Intrigued? You should be. It's a well-written, b...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Honestly, I never would have picked this book up had I not known that it was co-written bi Judith & Garfield Reeves Stevens-- I just don't have that much faith in Shatner's writing abilities.

Basically two teen boys struggling to find their way amongst a world of adults and breaking all the rules along the way.

The book was easy to read and put down then pick back up again. Even tho this book is about Star Trek =- it wasn't all geeky concepts. There was enough real world emotions and situation...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Adam Stone rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Collision Course is a Star Trek story set before the original series featuring the characters of Kirk and Spock when they were teenagers before they both joined Starfleet.

The book is set in a divergent universe from what happened original giving a completely different (yet plausible in the context of the story) reason for both of them to join Starfleet than you might otherwise have always thought.

This book was written by William Shatner (with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens) and as you woul...more

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Jul 13, 2009 Zarakoda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, favorites, books-i-own

This is the first Star Trek novel I have read, but I was not disappointed. Certainly, it is not the same as the actual TOS episodes, but this is a wonderful story in which Kirk and Spock are teenagers, still trying to figure things out. I suppose that might stall some people up, who only want to think of Spock as the infallibly-logical Vulcan and Kirk as the righteous, ever-confident captain, rather than the raw characters the boys in these novels are, but you can see evidence of where they will...more

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Aug 16, 2009 Douglas Graney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable read! An unusual Star Trek book in that 90% of the book takes place on Earth. It appears that the recent Star Trek movie was inspired by this book, they might just as well have used this book to make that movie.

One particularly enjoyable aspect of this is you get Spock's first observations of humans. I wish there was more of this. This is also a prequel to a Star Trek original series episode, the one with Kodos the Executioner; quite cleverly done by Shatner (assuming he and not...more

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May 14, 2013 Dovile rated it 2 of 5 stars

I chose to read this book, because I'm interested in stories set in Starfleet Academy and because I liked some of other ST novels by Reeves-Stevenses, but after reading this I must say it just doesn't tie-in into how I imagined Spock and Kirk have met. I liked all the references to Enterprise TV series though.

If you're interested to read more about pre-Starfleet Kirk and his relationship with his father, I recommend Best Destiny by Diane Carey. For stories set at Starfleet Academy, I recommend t...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Carlos Marin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Written around the same time as J.J Abrams "Star Trek" reboot, Collision Course tells the stories of two teenagers: Mr. Spock and James T. Kirk before they became legends of Starfleet. Actor/author William Shatner's novel falls short of the expectations garnered from such a project as this. The author (Who is famous for playing the iconic Kirk) introduces his reader to the two icons and tries to explain and explore certain events that will shape them into the men they are destined to become. Unf...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Ronnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I kind of get the impression that Mr. Shatner was thumbing his nose at the likes of JJ Abrams and co for not giving him a cameo role in the new Star Trek movie - given that it would've been in pre-production at the time the novel was written.

For example - in chapter one, young Jim Kirk boosts a car from the Starfleet Academy car park, and in chapter two young Spock visits a titty-bar.

However, all is not as it seems, as both events are connected to a larger plot to steal materials from Starfleet....more

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Mar 12, 2011 Stephie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i, surprisingly, really loved this book. my first foray into the world of trek novels, i found it to be really entertaining and well written. i'll admit that the biggest lure, when deciding whether or not to purchase this ebook, was the story revolving around teenage jim and kirk. it was interesting to read about jim's distrust of starfleet and the tie in of tarsus IV. not to mention spock's initial introduction to starfleet and humans, etc etc. and through it all, the controversy and drama, tho...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Alison Prouty rated it 4 of 5 stars

You would think that out of all the people in the universe, William Shatner, Captain Kirk himself, would be able to write a Star Trek novel. Well he does, with a little bit of assistance from Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. The story does a good job of mixing original ideas with the established Star Trek universe. One of my favorite parts of the book is the re-invention of Spock and Kirk meeting for the first time. I enjoy the amount of background story that is put into both Kirk and Spock,...more

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Jan 12, 2013 David King rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Collision Course” is a rather enjoyable Star Trek novel written by William Shatner with some assistance Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. It follows the antics of teenage Kirk and Spock as they undertake a form of adolescent rebellion in their own individual ways. Through accidental happenstance, both Kirk and Spock “bump” into each other and find that their behaviour has embroiled them in a dangerous plot involving espionage, theft and murder. This plot results in both Spock and Kirk to cons...more “Collision Course” is a rather enjoyable Star Trek novel written by William Shatner with some assistance Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. It follows the antics of teenage Kirk and Spock as they undertake a form of adolescent rebellion in their own individual ways. Through accidental happenstance, both Kirk and Spock “bump” into each other and find that their behaviour has embroiled them in a dangerous plot involving espionage, theft and murder. This plot results in both Spock and Kirk to considering joining Starfleet in an attempt to resolve their own problems and issues.

As I am sure people can expect from a book involving Shatner, it is very Kirkcentric and I am sure some people could argue that Kirk seems to be a little bit too perfect in how he responds to the various situations he faces. However, in the end, Kirk is meant to be someone who became a Starfleet captain at the age of 30 and seemed to solve everything thrown at him, therefore it should be expected that he was going to be more than just some gung-ho rebellious kid.

I found the story itself to be entertaining, skilfully written, well-paced and action packed to the point that I struggled to put it down at the end of each night. I also quite liked the little references to other aspects of Star Trek’s on-screen universe such as the various academy buildings being named after crew from the Enterprise TV Series. One element I really enjoyed though was the intriguing characterisations of young Kirk and Spock alongside the interesting interactions that occur between themselves and others. I specifically appreciated the sections of the novel dedicated to Spock and his parents that really seemed to bring out the best in all the characters.

The one issue I did have with the novel was that some of the events that occur throughout the novel seem a little bit unbelievable; in particular there is something that happens in the orbit of Neptune near the end of the novel that left me incredulous. I understand that people have to suspend their disbelief when reading Science Fiction but some parts of this novel just went that little bit too far in my opinion.

Another aspect that some people may dislike about the novel is that the story doesn’t really fit in with any of the other novels written around Kirk’s youth, such as Diane Carey’s prequel novels and the Star Trek Academy series from the 1990’s. Inconsistencies between Star Trek literature is nothing new but I just felt that I should warn people about. However, whilst it may sit outside the continuity of other novels covering the same period I must clarify that I didn’t notice anything in the novel that would contradict any on-screen canon.

Overall I enjoyed this fun and engaging look at the teenage years of Kirk and Spock even if it could be a little bit jarring in relation the differences between this and other novels covering the same period. To be honest I am little bit disappointed that the promised sequel never appeared and I can only assume this was due to poor sales or due to the fact that JJ Abram’s alternative Star Trek universe debuted so soon after its release. Perhaps one day Shatner will get a chance to continue this series but either way if you want to see an entertaining attempt at developing the characters of Kirk and Spock then you should give this book a try.(less)

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Aug 04, 2008 Moses Operandi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: readandenjoyed

Better by far and yet more brutal than I was expecting. True to young adult fiction form, the main heroes and villains are all young adults. This makes for an unrealistic story, although I think a few years ago I would not have found it so.

The idea of a traumatic, nasty incident in Jim Kirk's past, and the flashbacks themselves, were well handled, and effective. The villains, far from being watered down, were nastier and more brutal than I expected in a teen novel. It is, however, hard for me t...more

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Jul 03, 2008 Mr. Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Teenagers. Some things never change. It does not matter if they are human or alien or live in the 21st or 24th centuries; hormones, inexperience, idealism, questioning authority and the search for truth, justice and self all conspire in jagged fits and starts to propel adolescents into adulthood. In William Shatner’s Star Trek Academy: Collision Course, seventeen year-old James T. Kirk and nineteen year-old Spock stumble into adulthood and each other as soul-tearing memories of planetary slaught...more Teenagers. Some things never change. It does not matter if they are human or alien or live in the 21st or 24th centuries; hormones, inexperience, idealism, questioning authority and the search for truth, justice and self all conspire in jagged fits and starts to propel adolescents into adulthood. In William Shatner’s Star Trek Academy: Collision Course, seventeen year-old James T. Kirk and nineteen year-old Spock stumble into adulthood and each other as soul-tearing memories of planetary slaughter and a struggle for ethnic identity collide with a threat to Federation frontier colonies.

James T. Kirk hates Starfleet. It bristles with incompetents who make mistakes that ruin careers and kill entire planets. Starfleet Academy falsely accuses Kirk’s girlfriend, Academy midshipman Elissa, of stealing dilithium crystals. Kirk scrambles to prove Elissa’s innocence by exposing Starfleet’s incompetence; the same type of incompetence a younger Kirk saw four years ago kill thousands of Federation colonists on Tarsus IV.

Spock, son of a Vulcan father and human mother, stationed with his family at the Vulcan embassy in San Francisco, home of Starfleet, battles father, fellow Vulcans, and self for acceptance as a Vulcan. Spock unexpectedly learns something about his true self during his clandestine investigation of a series of archeological thefts at the embassy. Spock’s self-discovery crystallizes when his investigation collides with Kirk’s effort to exonerate Elissa. Both Kirk and Spock soon realize there is a connection. It is a connection linking the slaughter on Tarsus IV, an interplanetary crime ring of children, Starfleet, and a threat to the Federation’s far-flung colonies. Kirk and Spock must work together but only after they are forced to join Starfleet Academy.

Characterization is compelling in Star Trek Academy. Kirk- and Spock’s inner struggles are richly described. Kirk’s flashbacks to the horrors of Tarsus IV provide the bloody details which explain his hatred for Starfleet and his obsession with exposing it. Spock’s teetering between human and Vulcan is vividly displayed during his painful, soul-plumbing discussions with his father.
(less)

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Mar 02, 2011 Sarah Lu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, own

A rather Kirk central book, which makes sense since Mr. Shatner has a hand in the creation of this book. It was a fun read, however, it is far off from canon, as the disclaimer in the beginning of the novel states. I had a few issues with style, as there were quite a few moments when a paragraph would end with a sentence that was something akin to "He was wrong." or "He didn't know just how wrong he was." It was a bit annoying. Also, the ending was a bit over the top, but again, this is the worl...more

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May 18, 2013 Charles rated it 1 of 5 stars

I usually enjoy books by the team of Reeves-Stevens, but this one didn't do it for me. I found it rather ludicrous that Kirk and Spock knew each other before the Enterprise. That's straight up fanboy shite. And the book itself just wasn't that interesting. Kirk is arrested for stealing a car, manages to implicate Spock... and then... I kept waiting for something more to happen. But it was an extremely slow, plodding read. Hardly much excitement at all.

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Oct 06, 2010 ninefly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, fantasy-scifi, teamwork, family, _startrek, 1-series, hero-nonhuman, identity, revenge, science, slavery-torture

excerpt from detailed review here:
http://angeltyuan.blogspot.com/2010/0...

An unexpectedly intricate mystery is woven neatly alongside the themes of teenage rebellion, institutional corruption, and the slightly overdramatized flashbacks to the murky past of a young Jimmy Kirk. The struggles both teens have to overcome - Spock's search for his place between the Vulcan and human races, and Kirk's reluctant admiration for the very institution he has grown up to resent - urges along character develop...more

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Dec 03, 2010 Steven Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shatner's best. It's funny that it pre-dates JJ Abrams's reboot movie, because it fits so well with it in spirit. It does, of course, differ from the film on several points of history. After all, it's meant to relate Shatner-Kirk and Nimoy-Kirk's first meeting. Enjoying it requires some suspension of disbelief, but then it's pure entertainment. The points where it delves into Kirk's past on Tarsus IV are believable and haunting.

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Apr 27, 2011 Francisco J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The "Star Trek" movie that came out in 2009 took too many liberties with the storyarc, so if you want to know how Spock and Kirk really met, and what happened that put them on the track to eventually become the great Starfleet officers and close friends that they did, then this book is for you. I mean, who else is more qualified to write about James T. Kirk, than the man who played him since 1966?

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Apr 12, 2012 Amberlori rated it 3 of 5 stars

Entertaining little read about how maybe Spock and Kirk originally met. I read it after seeing the JJ Abrams "Star Trek" movie which portrays a totally different reality of how they met. So, I had a hard time separating the two in my head, but overall it was a fun read.

I do wonder how much of it Shatner was really involved in the creation and writing of.

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Jan 06, 2009 William rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-trek, science-fiction

I had to read this before the new Star Trek movie opens this May 2009. The storyline is similar in regard that we are taken to Kirk and Spock's days as they both enter Starfleet Academy each under very different circumstances. Anyway the story although entertaining never quite felt right and somewhat forced. I hope that the new movie is better then this.

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Dec 06, 2011 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a very, very good "Star Trek" novel from Shatner himself. A prequel about the first meeting of Spock and Kirk at Starfleet Academy, but it's more than that. It's an exciting mystery and energetic thriller with a lot of family themes thrown in, as well as many Spockisms and Kirkisms for good measure.

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Apr 16, 2010 Tigerlily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: TOS fans

Recommended to Tigerlily by: Megan

I love this book, not only from a Trekkie point of view, but also as a teen that doesn't like inappropriate stuff. The flashback parts were really good, I loved how it gave you the story bit by bit, and not all at once. Spock was just amazing. I loved the insight to his life as half human half vulcan. All in all a wonderful piece of Trek fiction.

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Jun 22, 2010 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi_fantasy

I really rather enjoyed this. The plot was well-developed and seemed - to a relative Star Trek novice, anyway - mostly faithful to Original Series canon. It was a quick read, but worth it if you are a fan of young Kirk or Spock.

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Apr 30, 2012 Relstuart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, star-trek, fiction

I needed something a bit frivolous to read because I've been inundated with technical reading and I've been on a history/biography kick lately.

Not sure if this fits with Star Trek cannon but it was a reasonbly fun ride.

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Jul 06, 2011 Savanah rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was a really good book, but it was kind of slow.
The plot didn't really end or anything... I am hoping for a second
(view spoiler)

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Feb 15, 2009 David Nadolny rated it 5 of 5 stars

I saw that William Shatner had written this and thought "Oh my, this is going to be bad", but I found it to be a perfect Star Trek novel. I can even see a new tv series based at the academy from this. Two thumbs up!

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About William Shatner

William Shatner is the author of nine Star Trek novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Ashes of Eden and The Return. He is also the author of several nonfiction books, including Get a Life! and I'm Working on That. In addition to his role as Captain James T. Kirk, he stars as Denny Crane in the hit television series from David E. Kelley, Boston Legal -- a role for which he has won tw...more

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