''Mission to Horatius'' is a novel based on the American
science fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Star Trek: The Original Series
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
''. It was published in 1968 by
Whitman, and was the first original novel based on the series; the first novel for adult audiences, ''
Spock Must Die!
''Spock Must Die!'' is an American science fiction novel written by James Blish, published February 1970 by Bantam Books. It was the first original novel based on the ''Star Trek'' television series intended for adult readers. It was preceded ...
'', was not published until February 1970. ''Mission to Horatius'' details the adventures of the crew of the
U.S.S. ''Enterprise'' investigating where a distress signal had originated, resulting in them engaging with several different human colonies.
The novel was written by
Mack Reynolds
Dallas McCord "Mack" Reynolds (November 11, 1917 – January 30, 1983) was an American science fiction writer. His pen names included Dallas Ross, Mark Mallory, Clark Collins, Dallas Rose, Guy McCord, Maxine Reynolds, Bob Belmont, and Todd Har ...
, and was Whitman's only original fiction based on the series. The producers of ''Star Trek'' had issues with the book, as they were concerned that it was dull and poorly written, in addition to containing offensive descriptions of both
Sulu and
Uhura
Nyota Uhura () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In the original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six ''Star Trek'' feature films. A younger Uhura is ...
.
Gene Roddenberry intervened, stating that he would rather call off the publishing deal than see the property harmed. It was corrected, but Roddenberry was still dissatisfied with the novel. As Whitman had gone out of business years earlier,
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.
History
Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing ...
was able to re-publish the book in celebration of holding the ''Star Trek'' license for 20 years.
Plot synopsis
The
U.S.S. ''Enterprise'' is headed to Starbase 12 for shore leave, supplies and repairs. Food is running low and the engines need servicing. A distress signal diverts the ship to a solar system on the outer edge of explored space. Upon hearing of the emergency mission, Dr. McCoy expresses his concern about the mental health of the crew to Kirk. In Dr. McCoy's opinion, the ''Enterprise'' has been on patrol for such a long period of time that the crew is in danger of developing a form of space madness known as cafard.
Upon reaching the NGC 400 solar system, the ''Enterprise'' crew comes across three planets populated by different human settlers who had been unhappy with the social or political order of Earth. One planet has reverted to a
Stone Age state, another has a mid-20th Century technology while the third maintains a level of technology capable of space travel and advanced weaponry.
Kirk and crew must determine who sent a distress signal and the nature of the emergency. Along the way, they encounter a warrior society, a planet where drugs are used to control the general population and a culture consisting of an elite class with clones handling the day-to-day chores required by society.
Production
The first works of fiction based in the ''
Star Trek'' universe were the
Star Trek comic books, which began publication in 1967. These were followed the same year by
short story adaptations of the episodes of ''
Star Trek'' published by
Bantam Books and written by
James Blish
James Benjamin Blish () was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is best known for his '' Cities in Flight'' novels and his series of ''Star Trek'' novelizations written with his wife, J. A. Lawrence. His novel '' A Case of Conscie ...
.
''Mission to Horatius'' became the first original fiction published in novel form based on the ''Star Trek'' series when it was published in hardcover by
Whitman in 1968, and the only original novel to be published while the original ''
Star Trek'' was still being broadcast.
It was written by
Mack Reynolds
Dallas McCord "Mack" Reynolds (November 11, 1917 – January 30, 1983) was an American science fiction writer. His pen names included Dallas Ross, Mark Mallory, Clark Collins, Dallas Rose, Guy McCord, Maxine Reynolds, Bob Belmont, and Todd Har ...
,
and illustrated by Sparky Moore.
Issues with the novel were first raised with the producers of the television show by
John Meredyth Lucas
John Meredyth Lucas (May 1, 1919 – October 19, 2002) was an American writer, director and producer, primarily for television.
Career
Son of screenwriter Bess Meredyth and writer/director Wilfred Lucas, and the adopted son of director Michael ...
, who contacted both
Desilu Business Affairs and
Gene Roddenberry, warning them that the novel was "not technically in bad taste, but is extremely dull, and even considering the juvenile market, badly written".
He added that it contained several inaccuracies including describing
Vulcans
Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the '' Star Trek'' universe and media franchise. In the various ''Star Trek'' television series and films, they are noted for their attempt t ...
as Vulcanians, and an issue with Spock quoting poetry. There were concerns that
Sulu had been described as a "bland faced, small oriental" and that Uhura was called a "
negress" and sings a
spiritual. Roddenberry wrote of his concern with the project on November 14, 1967, to Desilu Business Affairs, saying that he agreed with Lucas' comments, and that ''Star Trek'' "is a valuable property worth protecting and I personally would rather blow a deal like this than see the property harmed."
Despite corrections, Roddenberry wrote a five-page dissection of "Mission to Horatius" describing what he felt was wrong with the novel.
The first original ''Star Trek'' novel for adults, ''
Spock Must Die!
''Spock Must Die!'' is an American science fiction novel written by James Blish, published February 1970 by Bantam Books. It was the first original novel based on the ''Star Trek'' television series intended for adult readers. It was preceded ...
'', was not published until February 1970. While Whitman did not publish any other ''Star Trek'' novels,
it did publish a range of
coloring books
A coloring book (British English: colouring-in book, colouring book, or colouring page) is a type of book containing line art to which people are intended to add color using crayons, colored pencils, marker pens, paint or other artistic media. ...
based on the series.
''Mission to Horatius'' was reprinted as a facsimile edition by
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.
History
Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing ...
in February 1999 to ostensibly celebrate the publisher's 20th anniversary as a ''Star Trek'' licensee. Editor
John J. Ordover
John J. Ordover Is a New York Area stand-up comic, and is the American founder and chief executive officer of JJO Marketing, a digital art gallery owner, and is best known for being an editor at Pocket Books from 1992 to 2003 overseeing the ''Star ...
stated, when interviewed for Jeff Ayers' ''
Voyages of Imagination
''Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion'' (2006) is a reference work by Jeff Ayers published by Pocket Books. The book contains entries on the production and publication of ''Star Trek'' tie-in novels published from 1967 to 2006 ...
'', that it was reprinted for fun, and that when pitched he had explained that
Paramount Studios
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production and distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldest film studio in the world, the second-oldest ...
held the rights to the book as Whitman had gone out of business. He added "It was selling for $50 at conventions. So why not do a reissue? It was the first ''Star Trek'' novel ever done and the first one I read."
Pocket Books bought a second-hand copy from science fiction author
Dayton Ward
Dayton Ward (born June 7, 1967) is a science fiction author primarily known for his ''Star Trek'' novels and short stories, which began with publication in the '' Strange New Worlds'' anthology series. He published stories in each of the first th ...
to complete the reproduction.
Reviews
Most reviews are lukewarm although criticism of plot developments or characterizations are usually muted by an acknowledgment the book was aimed at younger readers.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mission To Horatius
1968 American novels
Novels based on Star Trek: The Original Series
Novels by Mack Reynolds