Sojourns

You may be looking for the Star Trek novel, "Sojourn," that is Saurian Brandy Digest #21.

Zine
Title:	Sojourns
Publisher:	FireTrine Press, editor: Dana Angerman
Editor:
Author(s):	Jean Hinson
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):	Marilyn Cole
Date(s):	1988
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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another version of the cover

Sojourns is a 284-page slash K/S Star Trek: TOS novel by Jean Hinson. It is illustrated by Marilyn Cole. It had six Surak Award nominations, and won two of them.

It was a highly controversial zine due to some of its subject matter, a very early exploration of RPS.

Shadows in the Rain is another example of very early RPS in Star Trek fandom.

In the zine, Kirk and Spock know each other through time, and are destined to be together, a theme also explored in a much later Phantom Menace shared universe called Riding the Wheel of If.

Summaries

On the Double says it is "an adventure of discovery never before fully explored in K/S fandom, a new perspective on the K/S relationship."

Summary from Gilda F: "The essence of the love between two men as it manifests itself through the ages, one of the couples being Kirk and Spock."

From the Author's Foreword

This story began long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away — (but no—that's another story....)

Actually, I hardly remember a time when I haven't been writing Sojourns. In fact, now that it's in print, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the rest of my life... Much time and research (see Bibliography) went into assuring accuracy, both of historical sequences and Trek sequences. (In fact, I even tied up a few loose ends that the episodes left hanging.) if I've dropped any stitches, be assured it wasn't from carelessness. (It may have been deliberate, however. Some well-known episode scenes are not verbatim. I figured there are enough re-runs on TV.

Although the matrix of Sojourns is set in the Prime Star Trek universe, including the movies, for the purposes of this tale ST IV; The Voyage Home does not exist beyond the takeoff from Vulcan in the Klingon ship. Each monosexual liasion (You like that? No, it's not in the dictionary — but it should be; right between monorail and monosyllable...) depicted in these pages has a basis for possibility (or probability) in legend or history, as I discovered when I began my research. If you want a really interesting trip, follow my tracks through the Bibliography on the last page. The Vulcans, of course, are inventions (I think) — but Nuno daSilva was real. I set out to invent him, and found him in the pages of my research text -- standing there waiting for me. My name is on this story, but I don't feel that I am its true author. Rather, it came through me from...somewhere else. Oh, I did the typing, and put it together—but the words are not all mine. It has been said that powerful fictional characters .take on a life of their own. I believe that. I have experienced it, through Star Trek. And so have you. isn't that why we keep doing this? I began most of the dialogue herein...but Kirk, Spock and McCoy finished it—and took it where THEY wanted it to go, for the most part. It's a spooky feeling to have "fictional" characters lead you in a direction which was not your original destination (or...maybe it was and I just didn't know it...). Anyone who has written a story about these three guys will know exactly what I mean. Kinda makes you wonder about the nature of "fiction", doesn't it? And of reality... I expect severely mixed reactions to Sojourns. Some of you will probably like it, some won't—some may be outraged by the implications— and some of you may read it with an echo of recognition from your own experience. If even one of you responds to it in that way, it will have been worth the work. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise — writing is WORK! It all started in 1984, when a call went out from some now unremembered zine editor for "creative alternate endings" to The Wrath of Khan. The idea sprouted with "What if...?" (Don't they all?) and the result was Journey, a nine-page vignette which appeared in NOME 7. (It also appears herein, re-edited, as a part of Chapter 7.) It took six weeks to write that nine pages, and when I sent it off, I heaved a sigh of relief and told myself, "Well, that's done." That was when a voice in my head said, "Now write the rest of it."

This is the rest of it.)

Sample Interior Gallery

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  Marilyn Cole

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  Marilyn Cole

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  Marilyn Cole

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  Marilyn Cole

Reactions and Reviews

It's been a long while since I've come across a fan novel that captures the heroic archtypes of the Star Trek characters as well as Sojourns does. Each chapter aligns a Classic Trek episode with an historical period by flashback, the premise being that Kirk, Spock and McCoy are in fact the reincarnations of such immortals as Achilles, Patroclus, Alexander the Great and Hephaestion, Arthur and Merlin, etc. The parallels are well- drawn; one gets the sense that others in the Trek universe are also present in the past sequences, although the reader is left to decide who they are by clues In an ongoing overview dialogue by two incorporeal spirits called Oversouls, whose purpose is to monitor the progress of their Aspects (the characters).

The Trek characters are true to the series, and the interweaving of the parallel lives is fascinating reading; the humorous comments by the Observers lightens up the necessary tragedy of the demise of the historic characters, and will give the thoughtful reader some insights into eternal perspectives.

The author takes us up to and beyond the 20th Century with an intriguing (and amusing) concept of the "real" identity of Gene Roddenberry, includes the present-day stars of Trek in the eternal sequence, and takes their new personas into the future—as Kirk, Spock and McCoy themselves. Though potentially controversial, this chapter is well and carefully handled; indeed, it feels almost inevitable by the time the reader reaches it. The final chapter takes the characters beyond their identities as Kirk, Spock and McCoy to yet another experience—possibly the most intriguing of all. The Epilogue is nearly chapter-length, and contains some wonderful ironies, placed as it is some hundred years or so after the Star Trek timeframe.

This is a "don't miss" for all slash fans—and, since the K/S scenes are what most slash fans would consider "soft" slash—at nearly 300 pages even gen readers might find this Tine worth their time and money. It is beautifully presented on pale gray paper in a black and silver foil cover, with illos by Marilyn Cole, and a very interesting graphic map for each chapter.

To say I was thrilled when I found a copy of SOJOURNS for sale at a table in Houston would be an understatement. And as I began reading the zine, I was not to be disappointed. At least not much. I had heard through the fandom grapevine for years that this novel was in the works, and just when I was starting to think it was only a rumor, it appeared.

First, my few minor complaints (I believe in saving "the best" for last). Aside from a few inconsistencies with historical fact, SOJOURNS offers a viable explanation for the K/S premise, and why/how Kirk and Spock seem to have been bound together before they ever met in the STAR TREK universe. Told in a series of short stories, all interconnected to form the novel, SOJOURNS deals with the past lives of K & S. We see them as Alexander and Hephaistion, just to name one pairing, and several other, perhaps more historically obscure (but certainly not unknown) characters. Also, I kept wishing more of the "past lives" took place somewhere other than Earth. A minor point, but I don't think Earth is that important compared to an infinite universe.

My only actual "complaint " comes with the passage which includes the very real characters of Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, as well as Gene Roddenberry. Even though the story Ms. Hinson is trying to tell is a beautiful one, I'm not sure it was a wise idea to use actual names. Since I'm not really sure where the law stands on this matter, I'll reserve judgment, but to say it made me uncomfortable would be an understatement. I can see why the chapter was included, but I'm not sure that makes it okay in the end. My feeling was that the passages dealing with these "real people" would best have been handled as vague references rather than specific conversations and actions.

Aside from that, the zine is beautifully produced, tenderly written, and laced with interesting graphics. Marilyn Cole's interpretive illustrations are among her best to date, with her Spock on page 102 being absolutely breathtaking. Also included are several maps which add to the reality of this endeavor. At close to 300 pages, SOJOURNS is a great addition to any collection as well as being worth reading. Even though the writing is clear, I did find myself getting bogged down from time to time, but that could be just a matter of my own historical ignorance. All in all, SOJOURNS is well worth the price, a zine most K/S fans will appreciate even if they don't like each and every chapter. It's definitely the kind of zine I would recommend to a first-time K/S buyer, for its gentle treatment of our much-loved characters.

I picked up a copy of SOJOURNS (by Hinson) at a zine table here in Portland awhile back, and even though I didn't agree with everything Ms. Hinson had to say, I liked the way she said it. Since I'm not into reincarnation, I couldn't honestly say that I "enjoyed" the book as a whole, but it was nicely written and there were parts that gave me chills for days (specifically the sections dealing with Shatner, Nimoy & Roddenberry). I'm not sure how well those parts would set with the actors/etc if they ever read them, but they were effective, and they were new.

I believe very strongly that it's wrong to use living people in published fantasies of this kind. I said then that I was afraid that this was a slippery slope, and that Shatner/Nimoy might well appear next. SOJOURNS makes Shatner and Nimoy prior incarnations of Kirk and Spock. those particular souls represent an internal love legend. All the previous incarnations were deeply in love with one another. This implies that Shatner and Nimoy ought to be lovers in order to complete the destiny of these two souls. These are real human beings, folks. How would you like it if someone tried to dictate your karma? We've got to stop this. I don't care how well it's written. This kind of material is unethical and might eventually have serious repercussions.

I have just finished SOJOURNS, which is well worth its price, but does not contain a lot of raw erotica. Each section of the novel, which tracks the K/S/Mc souls through several incarnations, is done with brilliant style and grace. The research is good, giving a good feel for historic times. The writing and plotting are easily better than 50% of professionally published novels. The evocation of Jane Roberts' Oversoul concept is excellent. Hinson establishes herself as A.F.B.'s equal in the esoteric. The only problems I had with SOJOURNS lay in the area of what it did NOT do. In the Halkan incident, the counterparts appear on the Enterprise, but Spock does not react to tell us whether alternate universe selves are part of the same Oversoul. After the Surak incarnation, there are no other Vulcan incarnations juxtaposed, against the Terran ones. The suspense line fails to develop because the Oversouls KNOW but the reader does not, what their goal is. There is not enough conflict between the Oversoul and the components over.the choice of a goal and the speed of reaching it. I do, however, enthusiastically recommend this book.

First of all, let me say that this is one of the most technically perfect zines I've ever had the pleasure to read. I find misspelling, grammatical errors, and just plain misprints to be terribly distracting and definitely detract from my enjoyment. I don't believe I found one in Sojourns — a beautiful editing and printing job. As for content, I found the concept fascinating and the treatment very well done. Even through all their historical guises K & S were very in character. Ms. Hinson has a real flair for their personalities. Were I a history buff I would have been enthralled. Unfortunately, I am not, and I found the constant change of "person" to be a bit tedious; just as they were finally getting together the scene would change. I would have liked a little more passion and erotica and a little less history. This, though, I realize, is a personal preference and not a criticism of Ms. Hinson's writing, which is excellent. All in all, a very good read.

Several of the past lives explored in this reincarnation novel were so familiar to me that those sections seemed excessively predictable. Splicing them together with equally familiar episodes didn't help pique my interest either. I sat up and took notice when I reached the section on Drake and daSilva because I wasn't so familiar with the material. I thought it was a beautifully written section, and that daSilva was the best rendered character in the book. I had problems with other lives described. Jean should be aware of the mistake she made with regard to Hector in the Achilles/Patroclus section. Hector was a son of Priam, King of Troy—not a Greek mercenary. A very famous scene in THE ILIAD involves Priam begging Achilles for the body of his son. He would never have abased himself that way for a Greek mercenary. Of course, Hector could still have spent his childhood with Achilles and Patroclus. Priam could have sent Hector away to be fostered with them. This was a common practice. So the error could have been easily corrected without any significant plot revision. The lapse in logic in the Vulcan life isn't so easily corrected. I find it difficult to believe that killing all but one of a war party would incline a tribe to ally themselves with Surak. I also find Surak as McCoy less than plausible. Surak was a philosopher who originated many concepts in Vulcan thought. I don't think that the McCoy soul would be naturally inclined to that sort of activity. I much prefer Spock as Surak, if one of the three had to achieve that Vulcan sage. Jean also seems to have forgotten a crucial aspect of the Merlin legend. Merlin was supposed to have lived backward and had no memories of his past. Instead he remembered the future. Therefore Jean's Merlin should have remembered the lives that occurred after his, rather than those before. If those memories had been confined to brief cryptic glimpses, that would have made for some interesting foreshadowing.

Jean's most fatal error, however, was her lapse in ethics when she made Shatner and Nimoy past incarnations in this eternal love legend. This is beautifully done, but real people should not be used as sexual fantasy objects. Certainly the actors are linked to Kirk and Spock because they played the roles, but Jean is implying that the actors ought to be in love with each other, and that their failure to have a love relationship is a karmic evasion. I find this disrespectful to the individuality of the actors, and a violation of their spiritual privacy.

Yet there are still these occasional insights in SOJOURNS that amaze me. The idea that Decker, Ilia and V'ger were a perfectly balanced triad has the ring of truth. It also occurred to me while I was reading the book that Spock is what T'Pring refused to be—"consort to a legend". Only another legend would be well-suited to this role. The ambitious scale of SOJOURNS and the noble task that Jean took on when she elected to show the spiritual progress of three should make this novel stand out.

I was reading along, rather enjoying this historical novel, when I ran smack into my own mental brick wall. What were Mr. Shatner and Mr. Nimoy doing in a K/S novel? - for me they were stretching my believability to the breaking point. When the all-wonderful Mr. Roddenberry stepped in reality intruded and I put the novel down. I couldn't finish it.

There were parts of this reincarnation novel I really liked. I enjoyed the Vulcan incarnation; I thought McCoy makes a very believable Surak. I was surprised that there were not more Vulcan incarnations. As for the Terran incarnations, the one with Drake and Da Silva were well-drawn. The other incarnations were compelling. However, some historical inaccuracies intruded. Hector was the son of King Priam, not merely a mercenary. A scenario where Hector is fostered with Achilles' family during a time of peace would have been more believable. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was quite memorable. In the Alexander incarnation, there was a glaring omission. Alexander had two lovers during his later years: Hephaistion and the eunuch, Bagoas. For whatever reasons, the author apparently wanted to turn a threesome into a pair. She did so by simply canceling out Bagoas's existence, even though his role has been well-documented in Mary Renault's historical studies. I wonder if the author decided that the idea of a castrated "effeminate" joining in on a relationship between two "real men" might disturb readers' illusions. Another problem was the idea that Kirk and Spock always come back as famous men. Didn't they ever have incarnations as peasants or commoners — or even (gasp! ) as WOMEN...? I believe that the author's intentions in bringing William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelly, and Gene Roddenberry were entirely honorable, but showed poor judgement. Let's let real people live their own lives. We can document the lives of our wonderful "imaginary" people in our tales.

I simply couldn't resist buying this novel since the theme was so intriguing — Kirk, Spock and McCoy, reincarnated in different historical guises. Some were easy to accept (Kirk as Alexander the Great), others a little more difficult (the Arthurian legend). Still, it was intriguing, a real page-turner. And even though I have the attention span of a gnat, it kept me interested. Jean Hinson is a wonderful writer — very flowing, fluid sentences. Her description was perfectly written, her characters definitely "in character". There was one major idea that I took exception with. This, of course, that Shatner and Nimoy appear as themselves in a K/S story. I was enjoying the novel tremendously, but as I neared the Shatner/Nimoy portion, I approached it with trepidation. To my surprise, it was beautifully crafted and felt very much in character; not love between the two men but friendship — a very easy, teasing one. A certain line really stuck with me. When Shatner and Nimoy were discussing what was wrong with the death scene in "Wrath of Khan", Nimoy was startled to hit the truth — "It's a love scene, not a death scene." They'd been playing it wrong, and when they changed their motivation it worked. "Sojourns" is quite an achievement, and I thank Jean for writing it.

One novel I was very confused by was SOJOURNS. It was very fine reading, but why keep switching back and forth? It was hard to keep up with. When the characters were killed it took a long while to say that they were living in another life. It was a mess mashed K/S story.

This is a novel of tremendous scope that explored the Kirk, Spock and McCoy dynamic in a cosmological sense. I've often felt that they also represent archetypes that are universal and timeless. The embodiment of that thought in writing was very successful. The story's complexity and attention to detail and the interweaving of past, present and future was well done, and it's obvious that the author spent a great deal of time and effort in asking this concept work. I particularly enjoyed the Zhaim and Sajii relationship and the evolution of Vulcan History. However, I also feel that the sequence and re-telling of the episodes and the inclusion of some of them while not others, could have been more tightly executed. Yet key episodes were cited, and they along with the movies certainly did prove that the emergence of K/S was inevitable, while reaffirming the overall mosaic design of the story. The inclusion of Gene, Bill, Leonard and the rest was startling to me at first, but it did make the future history of Star Trek a closer reality.

This Is a rather unusual Star Trek zine, and the reader should be aware from the start that it is K/S. It tells the story of the three entities we know as Kirk, Spock and McCoy through several incarnations, in each of which the triad comes together. Kirk's avatars are Achilles, Alexander, the Vulcan warrior Zhaim, Sir Francis Drake, William Shatner, Kirk, and Zheth, a Romulan. The historical auctions are linked by use of the Star Trek episodes and films. I found this a very rewarding story. It is not something to be skipped over, because the interwoven time lines demand a certain amount of concentration, but given that, the development is not confusing, Jean handles an extremely complicated storyline with great skill, and her writing leads the reader on wondering what is going to happen next. This writer knows her craft.

I do have some reservations about the use of the Star Trek actors and Gene Roddenberry. (Janet, I've seen Gene get outside a bottle, but inside one?) It is clear why she has included the section, find her description of how the death scene from Wrath of Khan was finally filmed in really beautifully handled, but I would tend to be very wary of using real people in a zine. It can work and has been very well done in the past, but given the K/S elements in this zine, I do feel uneasy.

Another slight quibble is the predominance of Terran lives; I think another alien incarnation might have made for better balance. In general Jean has tied up most of her threads; one or two elements are left dangling, but in a zine of this complexity she has kept track of her characters very well. The sexual element in quite explicit in some scenes, but does not dominate the story nor does it occur In every incarnation. Unless a reader has very strong objections to the theme, it should not spoil the story for those who prefer a straight relationship.

In format: the zine is spiral bound, and printed on slightly tinted paper; it is easy on the eye, and clearly printed. Illustrations are by Marilyn Cole, and are delicately drawn; the triad from the Vulcan segment is delightful. I would recommend this zine as an excellent, rather unusual read, and it would is a good starting point for anyone curious enough to dip a toe into K/S waters. It is very good value for the money, and though not to everyone's taste, I think many readers would find it enjoyable.

Sojourns is not only a thoroughly enjoyable read, its presentation is flawless, with a black cover embossed with silver, and pale gray pages. It is a zine designed with the sensualist in mind, and is a real prize for any collection. The themes espoused are of reincarnation (of the "real self"). This is not the Buddhist view, where life is the classroom and graduate on being enlightenment, nor is it the Hindu view ,of reward and punishment for good and evil deeds. Here reincarnation is part of a game played by godlike beings, endearing fellows named Alpha and Omega. These charmers are bound by certain rules -- are they part of some larger game themselves? These rules are not unlike the Prime Directive, and are treated as such.

The Kirk/Spock/McCoy triad is the focus of the zine. They are symbolized by the perfect symmetry of a triangle within a circle. Together throughout their many reincarnations, they rep- resent different aspects of the perfect being. Their earliest historical earthly lives comprised the triad of Achilles/Patroklos/ Peleus. They also lived on pre-Reform Vulcan -- McCoy was Surak! Ultimately, they even are post-Star Trek Romulans. The structure of the novel is not chronological, but rather a tapestry, with the gilded threads of our heroes' lives woven into the narrative. Among the most delightful of these threads are the conversations of the \'true selves" between births. We the readers are assisted in keeping all these timelines straight through changes in the typeface of the text.

The concept of free will is not neglected, either. Alpha and Omega are not omnipotent; Kirk has and will always be able to throw a monkey wrench into the plans of "higher" powers. As for the K/S (homosexual) elements, they are skillfully rendered. The concept is handled as being perfectly natural and even logical in the context of this novel: neither offensive nor explicit, but simply another dimension of the love we have seen expressed in the series and movies. Here it is a culmination of a long, deep commitment that spans many centuries and lifetimes. The newness this zine offers fan fiction is in:the continuity of these concepts with the events of the original series. There are no new lines or new endings/beginnings to these events, but they appear new again in this innovative context. The unevenness of Sojourns lies in the treatment of the three in our own time. Despite the tremendous amount of research evinced by the author, reality infringes on the integrity of the novel. Regardless, I recommend this zine to the avid adult zine reader.

The long novel Sojourns is an extremely, complexly plotted, love story closer in form to the best of the gen and hurt/comfort stories of two decades ago than the best of the current form. But several beautifully executed scenes will appeal to even the hardcore. The fundamental premise is metaphysical. Time passes through critical branch points. Decisions made and actions taken at those points effect profound, fundamental changes in what will subsequently come to pass. Some of those who determine the course of history are reincarnated souls, destined again and again to change the future of their society. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are three such souls, destined to gravitate towards each other in each life and once united, become change agents.

Against the backdrop of the original series and the first three movies, the author deftly blends in the stories of 7 prior incarnations and alludes to another, each representing a common AU. Most have appeared often in this fandom but here also include McCoy in a more integral role. An interpretation of reincarnation is invoked in which souls at this level of reality are sheparded by other souls who have advanced several levels further. Numerous conversations between our heroes 'guardian angels‘ Alpha, Omega and Sigma, who themselves represent a far future incarnation, are injected throughout to bind the separate stories smoothly into a pleasing whole. In a primer for manipulating multiple story lines and changing POVs, the tale of Achilles, Patroklos and Hector is interleaved with the events of Where No Man Has Gone Before; the story of Zhaim, Sajii and Surak with Amok Time; Alexander, Hephaestion and Glaukias with Plato‘s Stepchildren; Arthur, Merlin and Lancelot with Errand of Mercy and lives in Atlantis are mentioned for the first time; Sir Francis Drake, the captured, Spanish captain Nunio daSilva and Drake‘s ship‘s doctor with Mirror, Mirror; and finally William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley with the movies. There are constant components to each incarnation. To make it interesting and surprisingly, to provide additional story cohesion, Kirk and Spock in each incarnation are subject to glimpses of their past lives or precognitive visions of their future lives. They don‘t understand them but know the flashbacks and dreams are meaningful. General appearance and demeanor are constant. Spock always represents logic and intellect, McCoy is emotion, Kirk is always free will and driven quest. Together the three should be a nearly complete, idealized entity but it will take many lives of learning and striving for betterment to achieve that. In the beginning, Kirk is arrogant and self-centered in the pursuit of his goals. He has to learn to temper ambition and inject more consideration for the common good in his goals, which isn‘t easy when you begin as Achilles and Alexander the Great. In the beginning, Spock will do anything to protect Kirk and serve his best interests. He was responsible for the destruction of Atlantis and later as Hephaestion, commits suicide because he is certain that he must die before Alexander if they are to be together in the next life. Spock has to learn temperance, cultivate a code of honor and become an effective balance for Kirk‘s baser actions. In the beginning, McCoy is dangerously jealous of Kirk‘s relationship with Spock. Hector killed Patroklos, Glaukius‘ oversight led to Hephaestion‘s death and Lancelot set the stage for the fall of Camelot. McCoy has to learn acceptance and compassion. This striving of souls to improve in order to pass to the next plane of existence turns out to be an unexpectedly effective vehicle to critically examine the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship, particularly when interleaved with Enterprise era scenes. While the reader might anticipate confusion from the tangle of story lines and frequent POV changes, except for an awkward transition in chapter 7, this is simply not the case. The story of each life is fully able to stand alone but the addition of unconscious actions characteristic of Kirk or Spock adds depth and texture. The Achilles, Surak and Alexander chapters are familiar but original and well done. In the King Arthur chapter, we learn that these three have at least one formidable adversary who is also drawn to the same branch points in time. The Drake chapter is a fine, romantic swashbuckler but takes more than the usual liberties with recorded history, which some may find annoying. daSilva reaching for a meld position during sex and speaking Vulcan when very ill are nice touches. The ST chapter brings a delightful mixture of fan buzz, headlines, moviemaking and imagination. There‘s a problem. Things go to hell in a hurry when the guys aren‘t together. Just think back to the 60‘s. And the guys won‘t be gravitating together as they should so Alpha comes up with a quick fix by arranging to have a Djinn dropped into the body of Mrs. Roddenbury‘s autistic son, Eugene and the rest, as they say, is history.

The brief flashforward the actors have while filming ST:TMP and the backstory of the filming of Spock‘s death in STII alone might be enough to put Sojourns on your reading list. In the Kirk/Spock/McCoy era these souls finally overcome their last learning hurdle. The chapter ends shortly after ST III but they still save the Earth from total annihilation. In their last incarnation before ascending, they are Romulan researchers separately striving to understand Spock‘s resurrection and apply what they learn. If you don‘t like long, long stories, you don‘t like complicated storylines, frequent POV changes drive you wild or you insist on being on the hot side of warm, Sojourns isn‘t for you. But you‘ll be missing out.

This one is a novel, which follows two threads at once. The first is a straightforward timeline on the Enterprise, just snapshots of Jim and Spock's growing closeness and eventual pairing. The second is a series of vignettes of different paired figures throughout history, and as you read you come to understand that each is a past life for our boys -- Alexander and Hephaistion (with McCoy as the Greek physician who gets blamed when Hephaistion dies), Hercules and Patroclus, Arthur and Merlin, and so on. In each vignette we see both our boys, plus a bit of the setting and storyline, and who McCoy was in that life. The idea is, that Jim and Spock are paired souls who have lived many lives together, and will live many more, but that in each life Spock is fated to die first, protecting Jim or preparing the way. As the novel progresses we see life after life, coming forward in time. We also see in our own time how their closeness develops and how they eventually come together just as they always will do. We see a kind of meta framework in which several noncorporeal entities are discussing the boys and their fates -- I suppose if one were to believe in angels these would qualify, but the author doesn't specify which suits me just fine. I live in an area where people are freaking obsessed with bloody angels and it got old years ago. (Grumps to himself for a moment) sorry, back to the Trek! Now the part where some people will bail on the idea, but I actually thought it very well done -- in the present timeline, they go thru the events of TWOK and SfS, and are in the Klingon warship heading for Vulcan, when the ship begins to count down an autodestruct sequence, a failsafe none of them had found and disarmed, what with Spock being all out of it and so on. They have about enough time to meet one another's eyes and understand what's coming, and boom, that's it. The one time they both died together. And, a very credible possibility for how it might have gone, too. There is another life told after this, and it's made clear that none of the three has actually ceased to exist, just that it was time to go on to the next life. I'm actually rather partial to the Buddhist view of reincarnation, though I have to regard it as unproven, so for me, this framing of the story works quite well. The author goes into just enough detail in each life, keeping them short and sharply focused, and several of the pairings are historical favourites of mine, so I'd give this one a pretty good rating. Not a whole lot of teh pr0nz, (porn, yeah?) probably an R rating rather than NC17, but again, enough to get the job nicely done. So there ye have it. There's some interior art, not bad but not spectacular. It's an older zine so the typesetting etc. was real oldschool, but it's easy to read, a good sharp print, which is not always the case with the older ones. Check it out!

It was with quite high expectations that I awaited the publication of Jean Hinson's K/S novel "Sojourns." Let me say at once: it is a lovingly crafted zine from the black, silver-printed cover and pale gray paper, to the attractive illos by Marilyn Cole and the carefully-chosen vignettes. The writing is smooth and flowing, the love scenes tender without being overly sentimental. The problem of the novel is that Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are an indissoluble triad who meet again and again in legend and history in different incarnations. Of course Kirk and Spock turn up as Achilles and Patroklos, and as Alexander and Hephaestion, the latter episode leaning very heavily on Mary Renault's books. A more unexpected incarnation is Kirk as Sir Francis Drake! In several of the episodes it seems to have been a bit difficult to fit McCoy in naturally. One aspect of the pattern quickly becomes clear to the reader: in whatever guises the three men appear, whether as characters from Vulcan or Terran legend or history, the outcome is always the same: Kirk and Spock become lovers, physically and/or emotionally, and some time later Spock dies, followed shortly afterwards by Kirk. They never live a full lifespan, but always die young or in vigorous middle age. Intercut with these "historical" scenes are scenes from selected, more or less parallel S.T. episodes and the first three films. In both types of scenes the characters have sudden flashes of memory and precognition of their previous and future selves. This, together with the intercutting, underlines the supposition that time is an illusion - but it does make for terribly choppy reading. Personally, I prefer stories where Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are just themselves and not rehashes of all kinds of well-known historical persons; and once I had cottoned on to the way the pattern worked, it was kind of depressing to look forward to everyone meeting an early death once more, even if they came back in a new incarnation. These are just personal preferences, but there is one aspect of "Sojourns" which I find deeply disturbing, and that is the inclusion of the actors under their real names as the present-day incarnations of the triad. Nobody can object to an author playing around with fictitious characters, but when she starts to include living people, it is another matter. I certainly would never object to stories like the two "Weird Planet" tales where the "real" ENTERPRISE people end up on the film set, while the actors get to the ENTERPRISE, but this is quite different. Not only does the author have Shatner and Nimoy "locked in a tight embrace" as the realization of who they really are comes upon them one evening during a rehearsal, but to preserve the pattern of all the "sojourns" - she actually kills them off! Fantasizing to this extent about the living actors and fusing characters and actors in this way is, to my mind, not just bad taste but far overstepping the bounds of anything permissible.