Book #116: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by Vonda N. McIntyre
Vonda N. McIntyre
Released: December 1st, 1986
My 46th book for 2025 was Vonda N. McIntyre’s "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home".
This is another of the Star Trek novels that I have read in the past and wanted to reread for this blog.
I remember renting “The Voyage Home” from a video store in Shippensburg, PA when I attended the university in 2007. The aesthetic of the film, and the plot made it appealing, and the more neutral whales plot made the film fresh and enjoyable.
In this story, the surviving crew of the now destroyed Enterprise, votes to return to Earth in their now captured Klingon Bird of Prey, and stand trial for their crimes committed in The Search for Spock. As they embark on the journey from Vulcan, a mysterious probe comes out of space heading towards earth and sending out a confusing audio transmission, that overwhelms starships and renders them powerless and floating. The message is directed at the earth’s oceans. When no response is received, the probe decides to freeze the earth, sterilize humanity, and start over. Upon arriving at Earth, the ship struggles to reach earth and discovers the probe is attempting to talk with humpback whales. The humpbacks have been extinct for some time, leaving no possible way to respond to the message. The crew decides to attempt time travel to get some whales and bring them back to the present. The story showcases life in San Francisco back in 1986, and allowed Star Trek to portray a more modern (for the time) setting as opposed to outer space directly. Kirk enlists in the help of Dr. Gillian Taylor, who takes care of two humpback whales named George and Gracie. They are both set to be released back into the wild, where they must evade hunters. The crew must secure the whales, and return to the earth of their time before it’s too late. Kirk must also stand trial for his charges.
I have always liked “the one with the whales” as it is commonly referred to as. I could never tell if it was the story, Nimoy’s direction, the humor, or the conclusion to the trilogy that started in Wrath of Khan. The appeal is universal, and fans and non-fans alike have given it praise over time.
The probe is strange and unique. Nobody can figure out where it came from, nor its intentions. It only sends communications out to an extinct species that died out long ago, and comes searching for the reason of their “friend’s” silence. You almost feel sorry for it in a way.
The story is intriguing, and there are moments that set up events we have seen prior. For instance, the glasses Kirk received from McCoy in Wrath of Khan, are sold to an antiques dealer. This is knowing that in the future, McCoy will find them there again to buy and get for Kirk in the future, setting up a time loop.
We also are alluded to Saavik’s pregnancy. Spock suffered the effects of Vulcan sexual need in Search for Spock, and with Saavik there to initiate “pon far” with him, Spock subsequently impregnates Saavik, causing her to remain on Vulcan.
Here is what I learned:
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- The traveler connected many species of sentient creatures one with the other.
- Only in legend had a dying Vulcan given up his katra, his spirit, yet lived to reclaim it. Spock's death and regeneration in the Genesis wave gave the Vulcans a challenge they had not faced within their history.
- Admiral Cartwright travels to Vulcan to seek the truth from Kirk
- Kirk defines a direct order to return to work.
- Verai Dva-Payjh and Kirim Dreii-dall are Zinaida and Jedda’s partners on Delta.
- Verai informs Carol of the death of David.
- "I, too, am alive because of the admiral's actions. Had Admiral Morrow permitted him to depart for the Genesis world without delay, the science vessel Grissom and all hands might have been saved as well."
- Captain Alexander is in command of the Saratoga.
- Sgeulaiches is the communications officer of the Saratoga.
- Sol is the name of the sun.
- "Starfleet Command, this is the starship Saratoga, patrolling sector five, the Neutral Zone. We are tracking a probe of unknown origin on apparent trajectory to the Solar system. We have attempted first contact on all frequencies. We have received no intelligible response and no acknowledgment."
- In any world that permits it, Sarek prefers to walk in the open air and make his way to his destination on foot to become familiar with his surroundings. Amanda taught him this.
- Kamarag is the Klingon ambassador to the United Federation of Planets.
- Admiral Kirk is charged with nine violations of Starfleet Regulations.
- The Klingon Bird-of-Prey has been rechristened the H.M.S. Bounty.
- Sulu took up a Vulcan martial art during his time the planet.
- Kirk commanded the U.S.S. Lydia Sutherland prior to the Enterprise.
- The crew has been on Vulcan for 3 months.
- Kirk was the youngest Starfleet commander to ever attain the rank of Captain.
- “It is not the province of justice to determine whether all sentient beings are created equal, but to ensure that all such beings are given equal opportunity and treatment under the law.”
- An “axiom” is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or a starting point for further reasoning and arguments.
- “Humans make illogical decisions.”
- Wind-riders are native to Vulcan.
- It is difficult to answer, if you do not understand the question.”
- “There are other intelligent life forms on Earth, Doctor. Only human arrogance would assume the message was meant for humanity.”
- The message is directed at the humpback whale species “Megaptera novaeangliae”.
- “May fortune favor the foolish.”
- Kirk has a nephew named Peter.
- Sulu was born in San Francisco.
- Sulu raised in Ganjitsu.
- Javy and Ben are the garbagemen for Golden Gate Park.
- Javy likes working the early shift.
- Kirk sells his birthday gift from McCoy he received in Wrath of Khan.
- His glasses are 18th century American and worth $200.
- A Buck is a dollar.
- George and Gracie are the only two humpback whales in captivity.
- They are at the Cetacean Institute in Sausalito.
- They don’t have the yellow pages in Scotland.
- Kirk offers Spock a mint containing Sucrose.
- Vulcans are intoxicated by Sucrose.
- “That’s simply the way they talk around here. Nobody pays any attention to you if you don’t swear every other word.”
- The literature of 1986 includes the works of Jacqueline Susann, and Harold Robbin’s.
- Dr. Gillian Taylor is the assistant director of the Cetacean Institute.
- She gives tours of the facility.
- The Institute is devoted exclusively to whales.
- Whales aren’t fish, they’re mammals.
- George and Gracie are baleen whales, which don’t have teeth.
- Whales were used for dog food and cosmetics.
- The whales weigh 45,000 lbs each.
- Gracie is 42 feet long.
- George is 39 feet long.
- The scientific term for humpback whales is “Megaptera novaeangelica”.
- George sings anywhere from 6-30 minutes.
- “Admiral, if we were to assume these whales are ours to do with as we please, we would be as guilty as those who caused their extinction.
- George and Gracie are unhappy about the way their species has been treated by humanity.
- Gillian drives a Land Rover.
- Sue also enjoys listening to Waylon Jennings, The Doors, Kvern and Springsteen.
- Bob Briggs is the Institute director.
- Spock was once saved by a dolphin.
- Gillian keeps junk in her glove box.
- Gracie is pregnant.
- Sulu flew something similar to a Huey 205 in his academy days.
- Dr. Marcus Nichols invented transparent aluminum, and will again thanks to Mr. Scott.
- Gillian does not like cities.
- Gillian’s favorite meal at her favorite pizza place is a large mushroom and pepperoni pizza with extra onions and a Michelob.
- Occam’s Razor states that if two explanations are possible, the simpler is likely to be true.
- Chekov has been taken into emergency surgery at Mercy Hospital in the Mission District.
- Chekov tore his middle meningeal artery.
- The whales frequency is 401 megahertz.
- “He means he feels safer about your guesses than about most other people’s facts.”
- “Vessyl Kit” means “merry whale”.
- The remains of the Bounty rest in San Francisco Bay.
- Gillian is assigned to a science vessel bound for Mer to recruit some divers to help the whales.
- The crew is reassigned to the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A.
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Overall, a very solid read. Depending on your story preference, it is a toss up between this one and Wrath of Khan for best Star Trek movie. This one is lighter and less scientific in tone.
Recommended, especially if you’ve read the prior books.
On to Book #117: Star Trek: Probe by Margaret Wander Bonanno.
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Need to catch up? See previous blog post: Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
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Want to read about just this series? See the other posts below:
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
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