A pleasant character study of a book. The Sulu bits may be offensive now - the term "Oriental" is used - despite clearly having been written with good intentions.

Julia Ecklar’s 1989 novel, Star Trek: The Kobayashi Maru, begins with the Enterprise traveling to the Hohweyn system to check on the Venkatsen Research Group, with whom the Federation lost contact. The Venkatsen group is on Hohweyn VII, one of forty-seven planets – natural, captured, and rogue – orbiting an unstable tertiary sun. Just to add to the difficulty, various debris clouds and asteroid belts, including iron- and nickel-rich asteroids that disrupt sensors, orbit along with the planets. Captain James T. Kirk, Dr. Leonard H. “Bones” McCoy, Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu, and Chief of Security Lieutenant Pavel Chekov travel to the planet in the shuttlecraft Halley as the small size of the craft makes it more maneuverable in the chaotic environment of the Hohweyn system, leaving First Officer Spock in command of the Enterprise.

Unfortunately, they encounter a gravitic mine and only barely survive, though with their shuttlecraft disabled. With no way to signal the Enterprise for rescue, the shuttlecraft crew’s minds turn to the Kobayashi Maru test from Starfleet Academy and they share their respective experiences. From there, the novel alternates between characters’ memories of the Kobayashi Maru test and their efforts to repair the shuttlecraft Halley or signal the Enterprise. Ecklar spends the most time on Chekov and Sulu’s Koyayashi Maru test, using the opportunity for excellent character development, while Scott’s own test gives a bit of light humor. Her depiction of Kirk’s test both fits his character and far surpasses the depiction in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek film.

The novel’s flashback scenes foreshadow Pocket Books’ 3-book Star Trek: The Original Series – Starfleet Academy series of young adult novels from 1996 and Diane Carey’s subsequent 1997 novelization of the Starfleet Academy CD-ROM game. These flashbacks offer an interesting look at what Starfleet Academy could have resembled in the 2240s-2260s of the Prime Timeline, helping to explore the types of tests command training school involved. The novel begins with an historical note indicating that it takes place shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, though the overall tone of the story more closely resembles that of the Original Series novels. Further, Ecklar uses character ranks more in keeping with TOS as, between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Kirk was an admiral rather than a captain. In fact, the only character whose rank resembles the films is Chekov, having changed from navigation to security. ( )

First mentioned in Star Trek II, The Kobayashi Maru is legendary in Trek fandom as the infamous no-win scenario simulation that Academy cadets must face. Julia Ecklar gives us a look into how Kirk, Chekov, Sulu, and Scott faced the simulation while dealing with a literal life-and-death situation. The accounts are personal to each man as we get a glimpse of these characters when they were just cadets, personally I can not pick one as the best of the four however I will say that Ecklar's version of Kirk's creative solution is more impressive than presented in the 2009 Star Trek film. This is by far the best Star Trek novel I've read and I found it difficult to put down. ( )

This was not a bad book, but it was like eating an appetizer rather than a meal. Don't get me wrong, I love appetizers! A fun little romp to distract you for a day or two, but not memorable. ( )

I really fun story about the Kobayashi Maru. Worth finding if your a fan. ( )