Star Trek: Department
of Temporal Investigations- Forgotten History
By Christopher L. Bennett
3 ½ out of 5 Covers
This is the second book in the Star Trek universe to
chronicle the adventures of the Department of Temporal Investigations, which
was only mentioned in one episode of Deep
Space Nine- “Trials and Tribulations.” Author Bennett so liked the
characters of Agents Lucsly and Dulmur based on their two minute appearance
that he has created an entire rich backstory for the agents and their
organization. And this book is based on
one line from that appearance, that Captain Kirk has the most temporal
infractions of any Starfleet officer.
But that is sometimes how inspiration works: a little nugget
of an idea takes hold and grows into an entire book. Much of the book is a recounting of the
various time travel adventures of the original crew of the Enterprise, but
woven together to form a tapestry.
Important to the story is that because of all these adventures, the
engines of the Enterprise have been changed.
And an attempt to recreate that effect results in a forgotten adventure
that ultimately involves Lucsly and Dulmar.
The author obviously has great affection for these
characters, creating not just backstory but personality and repartee. And he
has done enough research to make the science, if not accurate, at least
believable. And that is very important
in a science fiction story, even one with a canon of made up rules like Star
Trek.
It’s not a perfect work.
Some of the situations resulting from time travel are either out of
character or too convenient. But the
same is true of many Star Trek stories.
The book embraces what it is and the result is a well done, pleasant
diversion.
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