The Ashes of Eden is a Star Trek novel by William Shatner (with collaboration with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens credited in the acknowledgments). It was published in June 1995, the first book in Pocket Books' series of Shatner novels, and first of two books in Shatner's cycle of stories to take place primarily in the 23rd century (with the other being Academy: Collision Course, a prequel). This is also the only original Star Trek novel to date to have been adapted as a comic story, by DC Comics as a prestige format squarebound graphic novel edition. Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens were credited along with Shatner for scripting the comic version.
Description
- For almost three decades, millions of television viewers and moviegoers around the world have thrilled to the exciting adventures of the most successful science fiction creation of all time—Star Trek. And during all that time, William Shatner has portrayed Star Trek's most dynamic hero—Captain James Tiberius Kirk, a gallant commander of the legendary starship and her crew.
- Now William Shatner brings his unique blend of talents as an actor, writer, director, and producer, as well as bestselling author and creator of the acclaimed TekWar novels and television series, to tell the story only he can, of Captain Kirk's greatest adventure.
- The time—six months prior to the launch of the USS Enterprise-B and the tragic loss of Captain James T. Kirk in deep space.
- The place—Earth, where the galaxy's most renowned hero must now face the spectre of retirement and a life devoid of challenge and excitement.
- But in the apparent twilight of his career, Kirk's path takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious young woman offers him an irresistible adventure—a perilous voyage to an uncharted planet where he will confront the ultimate threat to the fragile peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, and the ultimate temptation—a chance to actually recapture his youth.
- Turning his back on his friends, Spock and McCoy, and hunted by Captain Sulu's USS Excelsior, Kirk soon stands alone as defender of a world of incredible vitality and sensual beauty where he must choose between conquering the gravest challenge of his career, or surrendering to the greatest passion of his life.
- What arises from The Ashes of Eden is no less that a new understanding of one of science fiction's greatest heroes, and one of the most gripping—and personal—Star Trek stories ever told.
Summary
Spock is on the mountain where Kirk was buried by Captain Picard. Sitting , begins to reminisce about the final adventure of James T. Kirk before being lost on the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B.
The memory starts out with Kirk running a holo simulation trial for Starfleet Technicians in the Cochrane Physics Hall of Starfleet Academy. The simulation was of one of Kirk's earlier missions dating back to when he was a Lieutenant on the Farragut. Beamed down to Tycho IV, Lt. Kirk and the away team including Androvar Drake, Weapons officer Faith Morgan and Ensign Galt are being hunted by a Dikironium cloud creature that feeds off of the corpuscles of iron-based blood until its victims have died. So far Faith Morgan and Ensign Galt have both died leaving only Drake and Kirk on the surface. On the Farragut, Captain Garrovick orders Kirk to provide the coordinates for a phaser barrage to take out the being. Providing the coordinates to his captain, the Farragut fires her phasers at the beast. Attracting the attention of the beast, it goes into orbit and destroys the ship before coming back down to finish of the away team.
excerpt: Drake laughed beside Kirk. "Great instincts, Jimbo. See you in Hell"
With that, Jim ends the holo simulation and returns to the real world. While speakings with the Techs about the HoloSuit he wore for the simulation, the Techs question Kirk on his exploits and refer to Kirk as a hero. Jim states that he was just doing his job, but the techs don't understand the statement and continue with their hero worship. More than anything Kirk is annoyed with the hero worship but humors them up to a point. He feels frustrated, a "Starship Captain without a Starship" as well as trapped with nowhere to go.
Later on in the evening, Kirk is at Carol Marcus's place in San Francisco drinking scotch and watching a thundershower. He feels the pull of the Enterprise-A up in Spacedock, The need to take her out one more time. More than anything Jim is feeling his age, and the need to do something, anything. Again Kirk begins to feel his age, he feels old. Carol approaches and questions him on the Kirk Farm, they place where Jim grew up. Advocates handling his parents estate wanted him to make the final decision, as to what he should do with the property. In the end, he and Carol get into an argument and Jim returns to drinking and watching the thundershower.
During this time, Chekov and Uhura are on a old space station: Dark Range Platform. Chekov and Uhura's mission is to find Klingon arms dealers who are willing to sell K'tinga-class cruisers. The Two pose as two ex-Starfleet officers, Chekov being the one who was drummed out of Starfleet by punching an Admiral in the face.
References
Characters
- Pavel Chekov/Martin Arkady • Curtis • Androvar Drake • Ariadne Drake/Jade • Esys • Galt • James T. Kirk • Kort • Krult • Carol Marcus • David Marcus • Leonard McCoy • Faith Morgan • Arex Na Eth • Ra-ghoratreii • Janice Rand • William T. Riker • Montgomery Scott • Spock/Sarin • Hikaru Sulu • Teilani • Torl • Nyota Uhura/Ja'nette Marratin • unnamed Andorians • unnamed Klingons
- Referenced only
- Adonais • Apollo • Azetbur • Cartwright • Chang • Bonnie Prince Charlie • Liviana Charvanek • Zefram Cochrane • Frank Davis • Deela • Devil • Elaan • Stephen Garrovick • God • Phillip Green • John Harriman • Icarus • Kahless the Unforgettable • Kelinda • Alexander Kirk • George Samuel Kirk, Jr. • George Samuel Kirk, Sr. • Julius Kirk • Peter Kirk • Winona Kirk • Miramanee • Gary Mitchell • Molor • Montgolfier brothers • Marlena Moreau • Odona • Christopher Pike • Shahna • Surak • Jocelyn Treadway • V'Ger • Patrick West
Starships and vehicles
- antigrav car • cargo shuttle • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class, Enterprise-subclass) • USS Excelsior (Excelsior-class) • flying car • Golden Hind NCC-10019/1 • groundcar • hover truck (truck) • K'tinga-class (battle cruiser) • Romulan bird-of-prey (bird-of-prey) • sail boat • shuttlecraft • Tellarite ore shuttle • Tholian starcruiser (Emerald-class) • Vulcan warp shuttle • workbee • yacht
- Referenced only
- SS Bonaventure • USS Constitution (Constitution-class) • USS Enterprise-B • USS Enterprise-D • USS Farragut (Constitution-class) • gunboat • impulse liner • Mann-class • Marshall-class • • Pathfinder • Starfleet hospital ship
Locations
- Andromeda Galaxy • the galaxy • Garden of Eden • Heaven • Hell • Kalinora sector • Klingon-Romulan Frontier • mirror universe • Old Regions • Romulan Neutral Zone • Sector 001
Shipboard areas
- bridge • briefing room • brig • bulkhead • cargo bay • communications • communications station • corridor • docking bay • engineering • environmental station • hanger bay • helm • holding cell • hull • Jefferies tube • quarters • saucer section • science station • sickbay • stateroom • transporter room
Stations and outposts
Planetary locales
- The Armory • Camp Khitomer • Mount Seleya • Plains of Gol • Tranquility Base
- Earth
- California • Cochrane Physics Hall • Eiffel Tower • France • Golden Gate Bridge • Iowa • North America • Pacific Ocean • Paris • Presidio • Public Communications Hub • Riverside • Rome • San Francisco • San Francisco Travelport • Southern United States • Starfleet Headquarters • Starfleet Holographic Test Suite • Vulcan Embassy
Stars and systems
- Chal system • Delstin • Deneb • Kappa Fornacis • Prestor • Sol (Sol system) • Tycho Prime (Tycho system)
Planets and planetoids
- Amerind • Chal • Delstin VIII • Deneb V • Deneva • Earth • Genesis Planet • • Khitomer • Luna • Mars • Pollux IV • Praxis • Prestor V • Tarsus IV • Triskelion • Troyius • Tycho IV • Veridian III • Veridian IV •
Races and cultures
- Andorian • Chalchaj'qmey • Efrosian • Human (Scottish • Terran) • Klingon • Romulan • Tellarite • Vulcan
- Referenced only
- Gideon • Gorn • Kelvan • Metron • Organian • Orion • Preserver • Scalosian
States and organizations
- Amish • Anarchists • Bureau of Weather Management • Century 24 • Federation Council • Federation Protocol Office • First Federation • Genesis Investigation Committee • Imperial Forecasters • Intelligence Oversight • Klingon Empire • Klingon Empire Navy • Klingon High Council • Klingon Strategic Operations Bureau • Lunar Philharmonic • Martian Colonies • Project Genesis • Project Rising Star • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Intelligence • Starfleet Medical • United Federation of Planets • Vulcan Diplomatic Corps
Science and classification
- air pump • air purifier • alternate timeline • antenna • antigrav generator • antigrav gym • antimatter containment bottle • antimatter pod • artificial gravity • atmosphere • autonomic self-control • autonomic system • battery • binary sun • biological warfare • black hole • blast shield • bomb • booby trap • brain • cancer • cargo transporter • carotidartery • centimeter • chronograph • cloaking device • clone • cocoon • combat tricorder • command chair • comm imager • comm system • communicator • computer • computer net • computer wafer • console speaker • credit wafer • data chip • data conduit • databank • deck plate • deflector shield • disruptor • disruptor cannon • disruptor cell • disruptor pistol • doomsday weapon • drug-delivery inhaler • drydock • eardrum • emergency light • emitter node • encounter helmet • encounter suit • energy • energy mesh • engine • environmental dome • environmental suit • evolution • fabric sealer • feedback boot • feedback web • flood light • fluctuation feedback • force field • force field emitter • fusion bomb • g-force • galaxy • Genesis Device • genetic engineering • gravity • gravity generator • grille • gun • hand disruptor • headlight • heart • holoenvironment encounter rig • hologram • holographic environment simulator • holographic projector • holoprojection • hoof • hour • hourglass • hyper-acceleration • hypospray • iceberg • ID packet • ID wafer • impeller fan • impulse engine • impulse thruster • inertial damper • initializing matrix • intervalve coupling • ion trail • ionization • ionosphere • kaleidoscope • Kelvin • kilogram • kilometer • laser • laser cannon • laser pistol • laser rifle • library computer • lifeform • life-support chair • life support sphere • light-year • lock plate • lung • magnetic boots • maneuvering rocket • maneuvering thruster • Mark VIII photon torpedo • matter-antimatter reactor • medical scanner • medical tricorder • medkit • message buoy • meter • microexplosive projectile • microgravity • microscalpel • mind sifter • minute • nova • orbit • particle beam • particle etching beam • phaser • phaser bank • phaser pistol • photon torpedo • photon tube • pistol • planetary defense system • plasma gun • plasma jet • power cell • power generator • power grouping • projectile weapon • propulsion carriage • protobomb • protoplaser • quantum probability wave • radiation shield • rain • rainbow • reader • recording • recycling • rifle • rocket • scanner • scanning mechanism • second • security field • security screen • sensor • sensor array • sensor grid • sensor web • servo driver • shield augmenter • shields • slowgun • smart cannon • space • space station • spacecraft • spacedock • spotlight • star • star system • starbase • starship • status indicator • street light • subsonic field • subspace • subspace jammer • tactical scanner • tailpipe • temporal phase shift • temporal slingshot maneuver • thruster • time • tornado • torpedo • torpedo launcher • tractor beam • tractor enhancer • transmitter • transplant • transporter • transporter coil • transporter phase coil • transporter shield • tricorder • turbolift • type-1 phaser • type-2 phaser • universal translator • universe • veterinary science • viewing dome • viewport • viewscreen • visual input encoder • voiceprint identification • volcano • warp core • warp drive • warp factor • warp generator • warp nacelle • warp pulse • warp signature
Materials and energies
- adrenaline • antimatter • atom • blood • bone • brick • canvas • carbon • chemical • chemical cleanser • cloth • cob web • copper • crystal • dikironium • dilithium • dioramium • DNA • drug • duranium • electric • explosive • fabric • feather • fire • fur • gas • gauze • glassite • glass • hair • ice • ice cube • keva • leather • lightning • liquid • mahogany • matter • medicine • metal • mud • ore • oxygen • ozone • packing foam • paint • paper • photon • plasma • plasma bridge • plaster • plastic • poison • polycrete • propellant • protomatter • quartz • radiation • rock • sand • sapphire • satin • scale • silk • soil • solid • spiderweb • stimulant • straw • subatomic particle • sulfur • swab • Tellarite ceremonial mud • terry-cloth • tile • trillium • wood
Food and drink
- brandy • coffee • dessert • egg • licorice • mint julep • Prestor beer (beer) • ration • Romulan ale (ale) • scotch • spice • tea • water
Lifeforms
- alien • animal • bear • bird • cattle • chestnut tree • cicada • dikironium cloud creature • gagh • firefly • fish • flower • hay • horse • humanoid • jackrabbit • mugato • nightfeeder • predator • rat • spider • tribble • vulture • watch dragon • worm
Ranks and titles
- Federation Starfleet ranks (2240s-2260s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s-2350s) • admiral • ambassador • arms dealer • artist • athlete • banker • bartender • cadet • captain • Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire • chief • chief engineer • chief of operations • colonel • commander • commander-in-chief • Commander-in-Chief of the Federation Starfleet • communications officer • concert pianist • copilot • data keeper • deputy chief in security services • dignitary • diplomat • dockmaster • doctor • Dohlman • drill thrall • engineer • ensign • farmer • fleet admiral • Fourth World Mercenary • general • helmsman • lieutenant • mercenary • meteorologist • midshipman • molecular biologist • navigator • officer • politician • pilot • poet • police • president • President of the United Federation of Planets • priestess • queen • sailor • science officer • scientist • senior officer • smuggler • soldier • sports star • spy • surgeon • technician • transporter tech • warrior • weapons officer • yeoman
Other references
- 20th century • 21st century • 23rd century • almanac • Amish rocker • anarchy • anteroom • apartment • apron • archipelago • arm chair • armory • art • assassination • attic • bank • banquet • barn • basement • bathrobe • baton • battle code • battle flag • belt • birthday • blanket • bomb shelter • book • bookcase • booklet • boot • bridle • camouflage • capital city • cargo bed • cargo pallet • carpet • cathedral • cave • cellar • century • ceremonial dagger • chain mail • chess • city • cloak • clothing • Code One • coin • colony • combat armor • court martial • cradle • credit • Crimson Level • currency • dagger • dance • datacase • day • Death Poem of Molor • death rattle • decade • decommissioning ceremony • demerit • Deneb V Credit Exchange • dress armor • dress uniform • drink • emotion • empathy • encryption code • fairy • farm • Federation-Klingon Cold War • Federation Standard • fireplace • flag • flight helmet • flight hood • flight jacket • floodgate • food • food kiosk • freeze-dried stomach • French language • funeral • General Order 104, Section C • genocide • ghost • giant • glove • government • gown • grave • Greek god • hail • halo • hay bale • helmet • history • holiday • holster • homeworld • honor guard • hotel • insignia • Iron Maiden • jacket • Jade • jumpsuit • kettle • kiss • Klingon language • knife • Kobayashi Maru scenario • laboratory • ladder • landing pad • landing party • language • livestock • logic • magic • mannequin • marathon • martial arts • meditation • military • modular cargo crate • money • month • moon • mosaic • mountain • munitions dump • The Mural • museum • music • mutiny • orchestra • painting • pen knife • photo print • piracy • planet • plaque • playground • poem • poetry • porch • power station • Prime Directive • protectorate • puppet • pylon • QIghpej • quadrant • rank • rank insignia • ration booklet • reclamation team • red alert • registry • reins • resort • robe • Romulan language • rope • Russian language • saddle • sal-tor-fee • school • science • Seal of the Federation • sector • seymott blade • shield • ship commissioning • Siren • skeleton crew • smuggling • snifter • solitary confinement • spaceport • spring knife • stadium • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2240s-2265) • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • statue • suicide • summer • sword • Talon • tarmac • technology • Tellarite mud bath • terrorism • test tube • textbook • thimble • thunder • ticket • title • transmitting station • treaty • tunic • uniform • Vulcan language • Vulcan nerve pinch • warehouse • war game • watchtower • weapon • World War III • year
Chronology
- 2250
- Kirk and Drake enter Academy as part of the same class.
- 2253
- The Klingons and Romulans establish a joint colony on Chal.
- 2262
- Carol Marcus informs Kirk that she doesn't want him to be a part of their son David's life.
- 2293
- Kirk considers retirement as Drake assumes command of the admiralty.
- 2371
- Spock reflects on the loss of his friend on Veridian III.
Appendices
Related media
Translations
- German language: Die Asche von Eden (Heyne Verlag, 1999) ISBN 3453161718 & ISBN 3453196554
- French language: ISBN 2265059137
Images
Connections
| Media featuring the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) under Captain Hikaru Sulu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| episodes/movies | The Undiscovered Country • Flashback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| novels | The Undiscovered Country • The Fearful Summons • The Captain's Daughter • The Ashes of Eden • Starfleet Academy • The Captain's Table: War Dragons • The Lost Era: The Sundered • Excelsior: Forged in Fire • Flashback • The Lost Era: One Constant Star • Burning Dreams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| short stories | "Dilithium Is a Girl's Best Friend" • "Housewarming" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| comics | Tests of Courage (The Tabukan Syndrome) • A Wolf in Cheap Clothing (1 • 2 • 3 • 4) • Captain's Log: Sulu • The Undiscovered Country • The Veteran | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain Sulu Adventures (audiobooks) |
Cacophony • Envoy • Transformations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| games | Shattered Universe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| characters | Hikaru Sulu • Pavel Chekov • Janice Rand • Dmitri Valtane • Leonard James Akaar • Lojur • Tuvok • Altos Viger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Star Trek novels by William Shatner | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Odyssey: | The Ashes of Eden | The Return | Avenger |
| Mirror Universe: | Spectre | Dark Victory | Preserver |
| Totality: | Captain's Peril | Captain's Blood | Captain's Glory |
| The Academy: | Collision Course | ||
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Sarek |
TOS novels | Next novel: The Return |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The Last Roundup |
Next Adventure: The Fearful Summons | |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2293. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in two other timeframes: | ||
| Previous Adventure: Federation Part 4, Chapter 3 |
2371 Framing story |
Next Adventure: The Return |
| Previous Adventure: Burning Dreams Chapter 20 |
2262 Chapter 35, Flashback |
Next Adventure: Harbinger Prologue |
Translations
- 1995
- Italian : Le ceneri del paradiso, translated by Carlo Borriello. (Fanucci)
- 1997
- French : Les Cendres d'Eden, translated by Isabelle Troin-Joubaud. (Fleuve Noir)
- 1999
- German : Die Asche von Eden, translated by Uwe Anton. (Heyne)
External link
- The Ashes of Eden article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.