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From: jaffe@topaz.ARPA (Saul)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Book Review: Uhura's Song
Message-ID: <287@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 16-Jan-85 09:31:38 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.287
Posted: Wed Jan 16 09:31:38 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Jan-85 00:53:30 EST
References: <1411@uscvax.UUCP>
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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I have to disagree with the review recently posted on Uhura's Song.
I just finished reading the book last night and so it is fairly
fresh in my mind.  Kagan does not seem to have a good understanding
of the characters in the Star Trek Universe.  She has many of the
characters doing what I would consider abnormal things.  Spock in
particular.
	When I saw a book titled "Uhura's Song" I fully expected
the book to be primarily about Uhura.  I was delighted that in the
first quarter of the book my expectations were well met.  Uhura's
knowledge of the alien's language and culture made her the lead
figure in the story.  I was very disappointed that as the book
progressed, she faded into the background as usual.  Why is it that
male authors have the females hidden in the background and female
authors tend to have everyone fade into the background *except* the
female character that represents them?  
	Spock spends most of the book trying to figure out who or
what Dr. Wilson really is.  Instead of trying to turn his fine mind
to the solution of the problem, or trying to understand the alien
culture they have been exposed to, he studies Evan.  Most illogical.
An even worse crime is that in one scene in the book she has Spock
eating Shishkabob - meat!  Totally unthinkable for any Vulcan.
	Jim Kirk also is very down played.  The resourceful, brave
leader figure seems to somehow turn into someone who has to rely on
others (like Evan) to do his thinking for him.  He too spends most
of his time trying to *understand* Evan but in terms of another
possible conquest.
	I was also sadly disappointed in the ending.  The book
seems to pace itself well until the cure for the ADF syndrome is
found.  At that point, Ms. Kagan rushes to get all of the loose
ends tied up before the end of the book.  The whole explaination
about the mysterious Evan Wilson is badly done and is barely
understandable.
	I will however give credit where credit is due.  The alien
society that Ms. Kagan created was very well done in my opinion.
And the reader was just as mystified as the Enterprise crew about
their culture and customs.  Although I would have liked to ask a
few baby-questions for myself.
	Personally, I like the work of Diane Duane much better.
If you have not yet read any of her stories I suggest you read
either "The Wounded Sky" or "My Enemy, My Ally" and then compare
it with "Uhura's Song.  I think you'll notice the difference.






-- 
Saul Jaffe
Systems Programmer
Rutgers University
ARPA: Jaffe@Rutgers
UUCP: Jaffe@Topaz