This week, Vulcan considers pulling out of the Federation upon feeling like they’re not benefiting much from the deal, and Kirk, Spock, and Bones are summoned to testify in favor of Vulcan sticking around. As they prepare their remarks, anonymous internet trolls post their two cents, lasagna is served, and the Enterprise mixer rages on. Along the way, the history of Vulcan unfolds through tales of some of its less noble moments. How do they store fresh coffee on the Enterprise? How would a Vulcan work out the logic in becoming addicted to video games? Is this Duane!McCoy’s biggest mic drop yet? It’s the book where we learn how Amanda really feels about Sarek.
I’m going to level with you: I’m not very good at crime procedurals. Ask my wife. We can be sitting watching an episode of Law & Order: SVU or what have you and she’ll have the killer figured out before the theme song. I’m not nearly as sharp as she is, so I sort of let events wash over me, and then at the big reveal I’m usually just like, “Oh, okay.” So the fact that I solved the central mystery of The Vulcan Academy Murders with nearly 200 pages still left to read does not reflect well upon it.
When I bought this book from the used bookstore where I often buy my Star Trek paperbacks, the clerk offhandedly said “Oh, cool, Greg Bear” like I’m supposed to know who that is. In fact, Greg Bear has, at that same bookstore, an entire row of a shelf in the science fiction section filled solely with books written by him, so there’s no doubt he’s a highly prolific author who’s probably done something cool. This, however, is his only Star Trek novel. Is there a reason for that? Usually, there is.