When a Klingon super-weapon — the Death Wave — destroys several stars, Starfleet calls upon former Captain James Kirk, forcibly retired at age 65, and his expertise in dealing with an aggressively militaristic Klingon Empire. But as Starfleet’s losses mount, Kirk finds himself stranded deep in Klingon space with only the faint hope that Scotty can save his crew and defeat the Death Wave.
Writer Austin P. Torney explores this premise in his self-published Star Trek novel, The Death Wave. Where other writers might have been able to develop this into an interesting storyline, Torney’s dire prose sabotages the story at every turn through clunky narration and poor characterization. The Death Wave proves impossible to reconcile with known Star Trek history, with a cover that depicts Jonathan Archer’s Enterprise and copious screengrabs inside from all five Star Trek series that in no way represent the novel’s storyline. Available through online retailers until the inevitable cease-and-desist letters from CBS, The Death Wave is suitable only for completists, collectors, or convention-goers looking for the Star Trek equivalent of “The Eye of Argon.”