There is some incredibly bad characterisation in here (Spock and a Starfleet science professor don't know what "metabolic acidosis" means, really?) but the plot was actually pretty entertaining. Still, I've definitely read fanfic that was better than this, so maybe I'll stick to that for my Academy shenanigan needs. ( )

This series is like reading a YA Star Trek soap opera. The first book in the series, [b:The Edge|10161352|The Edge (Star Trek Starfleet Academy)|Rudy Josephs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294548357s/10161352.jpg|15059914], got me used to jumping back and forth between characters and I felt better about in this second installment. Though the author is different (and better), the tone felt similarly campy and fun. Kirk is still obviously a ladies’ man, and I still wish I was reading Spock/Uhura erotica. Wait, what? Did I just say that? Anyway, these books are a breeze to get through and full of action. For those unfamiliar with this set of Star Trek books, they are set in the alternate timeline of the most recent Star Trek movie and take place with most of our favorite characters while they are still at Starfleet. This one follows McCoy, Kirk, and Uhura as they help their superiors and the San Francisco PD solve the mystery of The Doctor, a killer who somehow manages to remove internal organs from his victims with no incisions. (I can’t wait for the future!) I’m a little iffy on whether Starfleet would actually have these cadets helping out to such an extent…as in, doing almost the entire investigation and crime-solving. That makes perfect sense…not.

I suppose this series is just “Life at Starfleet Academy” and that’s why we are reading about Kirk’s attempts to hit on girls and his progress through school exams, but those plot points just did not add too much to the primary storyline. The scientific explanation of The Doctor was rather interesting, though my eyes tend to glaze over anytime any word starts with “nano.” Whatever science dudes, I’ll take your word for it. And WTF was up with the ending? Talk about a tease. This isn’t even a review, it is just my random thoughts choppily strewn into paragraphs that have no common thread.

This series is an absolute guilty pleasure of mine. I honestly doubt whether any of my GR friends would enjoy it as much as I do but it definitely has a market. I’ll continue reading them in my quest to find space school stories, especially because it is so easy to pick familiar characters back up. And, of course, I want to see Spock and Uhura develop their relationship to the point it was at in the most recent movie. That’s logical, right?
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I read this for a book group (which I couldn't participate in, sadly), but it was amusing and fun. It's not the best book out there, but I never expected it to be. My only disappointment is that for all the talk of The Doctor on the back of the book, it wasn't the Doctor I was hoping for (and I knew this going it, but it made me laugh a few times). ( )