Star Trek Book Challenge 7: The IDIC Epidemic (Star Trek: The Original Series #38)

For this book challenge I went back with old school Star Trek and read The IDIC Epidemic (Star Trek: The Original Series #38) by Jean Lorrah. Plot:

I.D.I.C — Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination. More than just a simple credo, for those of the planet Vulcan it is the cornerstone of their philosophy.

Now, on the Vulcan Science Colony Nisus, that credo of tolerance is being being put to its sternest test. For here, on a planet where Vulcan, human, Klingon, and countless other races live and work side by side, a deadly plague whose origins has sprung up. A plague whose origins are somehow rooted in the concept of I.D.I.C. itself. A plague that threatens to tear down that centuries-old maxim and replace it with an even older concept.

Great story and the story moves right along. Now it’s not an action packed book, so if you came looking for an action pack Star Trek novel. Stay away from this book… Also this book mostly follows the ST:TOS universe and Kirk, Spock, McCoy and  others are just secondary characters here. The main part is mostly focused on ST:TOS guest stars like Corrigan, Sorel or Sarek and Amanda etc… It’s an ‘intergalactic” take on racism, segregation/cooperation of species. It makes for a interesting read from a philosophical standpoint. It’s defiantly what they call, “a thinking man’s book.” This actually took me a few days to read. Where as most of the past Star Trek books take me a 1 or 2 days to wrap up.

I liked the book! But I don’t know if I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t a hardcore fan of the Star Trek universe. Now this novel is a sequel to Jean Lorrah’s previous Trek entry, the Vulcan Academy Murders. Which is another great book by it’s self.