Kate says… Here’s an unexpected premise, based on an inside joke for fans of Star Trek TOS: you don’t want to wear a red shirt uniform. Miscellaneous security guards wear red, and they get killed off with amazing frequency. Bad guys have terrible aim when shooting at the main characters, at best striking a glancing hit, but red shirts are doomed. What if that was more by design than by accident?
And what about Star Trek’s ridiculous plot twists? Like, a planet’s own scientists can’t cure a disease after centuries trying, but a Star Fleet doctor does it before the second commercial break? And don’t even try to apply physics to most of what happens.
Trekkers, I mean no offense. I became a fan of Kirk, Spock, and Bones as a kid, and that’s a love that will never die. But my adult brain, after watching the all-too-few episodes a hundred times, can’t help but notice that – sometimes – the plots are lame.
What if those red shirts figure out what’s happening to them? Would they dodge away missions to stay alive? Realize which officers return from missions and which do not? Something is deeply wrong with their universe. What if they decide to fix whatever is broken?
This book is the answer. It manages to craft an entire story out of what could be, in lesser hands, a one-joke bore. As the red shirts unravel their predicament, I huffed, I giggled, I laughed out loud. That’s right, I told myself. Yes, yes, I’ve noticed that bit of silliness too, so how will the bit part characters in this show escape?
The red shirts become complete characters I care about, and their crazy world has an internal consistency that makes absurdities work. To my surprise, the tale involves the most unexpected parallel universe I’ve ever seen.
Even if my little introduction is all you know about Star Trek, there’s plenty to love in this book, and I read every word. That’s high praise, because if you follow my recommendations, you’ll know I’m an incorrigible skimmer.
By the way, you have my permission to skip the “codas” that come after the story ends. They are giggle-worthy, self-indulgent frippery – although, if you’re an author, ever wanted to be an author, or wonder about those strange creatures who tell stories, read on. You’ll enjoy it.
Find Redshirts on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3Lxm2IE (25APR2023)
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Tags: Humorous science fiction, space exploration, Star Trek inspired
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