Star Trek: From History’s Shadow by Dayton Ward
Synopsis:
2268: Following the encounter with the mysterious Gary Seven in the twentieth century, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise is startled by two intruders who have transported through space and time from Earth circa 1968. Incredibly, one of the infiltrators is a Vulcan, who asserts that he’s lived among Earth’s population for over a decade. The other represents a little-known race, and reveals to Captain James T. Kirk that she has spent the last twenty years working to bring about humanity’s destruction. It is then that Gary Seven’s young protégée, Roberta Lincoln, arrives seeking Kirk’s help. . . .
1947: In the wake of the infamous “Roswell Incident” involving a crashed alien craft and beings from another world, Captain James Wainwright finds himself recruited as one of the first members of Majestic 12, a secret organization with two goals: Collect evidence of extraterrestrial activity on Earth, and develop strategies to combat alien invaders. And it is this very mission that will consume Wainwright’s life for the next two decades, driven by the knowledge that the danger is as real as the aliens living among us.
Review:
From History’s Shadow is a complex and intricately woven story across time and involving several established stories from Star Trek. The narrative bouncing back and forth through time is surprisingly easy to follow as it flows well with the course of the novel.
In 2268, Kirk learns about what happened with a group of aliens (of a seemingly peaceful race) sent to Earth in 1947 on a mission to destroy humanity. Meanwhile, another alien race has seen a transmission from them that might lead to war. Then in 1947 and for years later, Captain Wainwright follows reports of alien activity across America, hoping to gather evidence. But someone is leaking word to the press. And the aliens are doing their best to cover their tracks.
An exciting and fast-paced story, this one was hard to put down. Star Trek fans will enjoy the plentiful references to old episodes from the various series. In fact, I wanted to go back and re-watch most of them to get the characters fresh in my mind. Suspense and intrigue abound in this fun and creative story.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the book. 🙂