I rather liked this one, mostly because it addressed the problem of communication which so often gets utterly handwaved with universal translators. I also liked the focus on Uhura and her love story; she is great. I didn't love the Klingons, but given when it was written there wasn't so much to go on, and it at least presents them as individuals rather than a faceless menace.

This is one of the more interesting books in the ST: TOS universe. It features Uhura, communications officer of the Enterprise as one of the main characters as the Enterprise is tasked to find out what had created a terrifying crack in space in the Taygeta system that had already destroyed a starship and was greedily reaching out to the system's sun. As the Enterprise crew starts collecting information, it becomes clear that a musician would be a great addition to the crew and it just happens Guy Maslin, musical genius and uber bad boy of the Federal musical firmament is on the same station so he gets co-opted onto the team. At first hating this imposition, Maslin finds the puzzle of the Taygetan song of great interest.

Even throwing in the intervention of Klingons is handled fairly well, treating the commander of the Klingon ships and his wife in an interesting way that is not usual in this period. Overall I enjoyed the story and while some of the messages are relatively obvious there are quite a few good action sequences as well. ( )

An engaging Star Trek novel featuring Uhura in a key role for a change, as she falls in love with and plays nursemaid to a crotchety and ailing composer who journeys with the Enterprise to investigate a growing rift in space/time. The composer is necessary because the link seems to be the Taygetians, a mysterious seal-like species whose mode of communication is song, and are being systematically killed by poachers for the jewel-like tears they secrete on dying. In a bit of a stretch, it is discovered that the Taygetians' song has the ability to manipulate matter, space and time, and the absences in their choir caused by the poaching is upsetting the balance and causing the rift. Otherwise, a fine and well-told story all around. ( )