Star Trek: Prey: Book 1: Hell’s Heart by John Jackson Miller
Synopsis:
When Klingon commander Kruge died in combat against James T. Kirk on the Genesis planet back in 2285, he left behind a powerful house in disarray—and a series of ticking time bombs: the Phantom Wing, a secret squadron of advanced Birds-of-Prey; a cabal of loyal officers intent on securing his heritage; and young Korgh, his thwarted would-be heir, willing to wait a Klingon lifetime to enact his vengeance.
Now, one hundred years later, while on a diplomatic mission for the United Federation of Planets, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise are snared in the aged Korgh’s trap—and thrust directly in the middle of an ancient conflict. But as Commander Worf soon learns, Korgh may be after far bigger game than anyone imagines, confronting the Federation-Klingon alliance with a crisis unlike any it has ever seen!
Review:
I’ll admit that Klingons aren’t my favorite race. The honor-bound, often violent people have never really held my interest. So I really only picked up this book because I enjoyed the film the trilogy is based on… and it’s Star Trek – so I knew I’d still be entertained.
However, I was pleasantly impressed that the plot held many twists and surprises along the way. It’s full of adventure, mystery, and very diverse Klingon characters. The characters, especially the villains, are intriguing and engaging. I also love that the story spans the two Enterprise crews. What we learn about past events with Kruge’s people helps to understand what’s going on in the future. I even enjoyed the Kahless clone character more than previous stories about him. Excitement and suspense builds to a cliffhanger ending that made me eager for the next book.