Katra: The Erotic Spirit
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Katra: The Erotic Spirit |
| Publisher: | Scorpion Publications |
| Editor(s): | Lana Brown |
| Date(s): | 1986-1987 |
| Series?: | |
| Medium: | |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | het |
| Fandom: | Star Trek: TOS |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Katra: The Erotic Spirit is an explicit het Klingon-centric Star Trek: TOS anthology.
It has sister zines called Katra: The Living Spirit and Katra: X, as well as two novels: Elba and Katra: The Novella.
Issue 1
Katra: The Erotic Spirit 1 was published in December 1986. It contains 96 pages.
- The Trials, Terrors & Titillations of Tracey by LTC (5)
- Klingon Love Song, filk by Shona Jackson (7)
- Diversions by Lana Brown (9)
- Sililoquoy (sic) for Vina and Bells, poem by Lisa Carlisle (22)
- Tracey's Trials/Terrors/Titillations by LTC (23)
- Edge of the Mind's Eye by Erin Pennington (29)
- Balm of Hurt Minds by Craig Hooper (37)
- Disenchantment by Lisa Carlisle (41)
- Aftermath by Shona Jackson (44)
- Tracey's Trials/Terrors/Titillations... by LTC (47)
- Vulcan Sand, poem or filk by Susan Lynn Moline (57)
- Things Unsaid by Lana Brown (59)
- I... Burn, poem or filk by Shona Jackson (61)
- Fuzzies by Marina Butler (62)
- Empire Elect by Sue Isle (65)
- Tracey's Terrors, ETC... by LTC (86)
- Cheeky by Helen Ross (94)
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1
It seems to be part of a series. She has five other zines in the series, not including this one, plus a novella. The series has an emphasis on Klingons, and is therefore a must for any fan of theirs. There are stories about the other members of the ENTERPRISE crew. The zines also are not that expensive, usually less than ten dollars. KATRA: THE EROTIC SPIRIT is the only zine with material that needs an age statement. KATRA: THE EROTIC SPIRIT (#1) is a wonderful zine with items ranging from soft R to hard X. A large measure of the stories deal with Terran women at the hands of Klingon lords, but there is little violence anywhere, except in the first story.This first story, "The Trials, Terrors, and Titillations of Tracy" by LTC is the first in a four-part series. All four parts are in this zine, by the way, and they deal with a 20th century girl who is kidnapped and sold into slavery and handed to various masters, until she saves Captain Kirk from a fate worse than death. "Edge of the Mind's Eye" is by Erin Pennington, using characters created by Lana Brown. It tells the story of a Japanese/Vulcan woman who is facing pressure from her Vulcan family to take up the family business and give up the martial arts which the studies. She meets a Klingon teenager, a member of a noble house, who is studying Vulcan martial arts. Their love affair ends unhappily but not without causing both to grow and to make decisions about their own lives. Very good. "Empire Elect" by Sue Isle is another good story, perhaps the best in the zine. It is a story about Rilke Daeman, an underemployed office clerk, who makes friends with the Klingon ambassador's family. She also falls in love with the family tutor and has to face her violent reactionary father and the political results of her actions—even more so when the tutor turns out to be the heir to the Klingon throne. Though this story and all those mentioned in this article could be called Mary Sues, everything is so much a fantasy I didn't have much of a problem with it. There were also a number of stories dealing with the regular Trek characters. Most of these were non-age statement. Many of them were very short, quick, one-idea stories. "Balm of Hurt Minds" by Craig Andrew Hooper deals with the death of Kirk in a Nursing Home as an old man. "Aftermath" by Shona Jackson is about the birth of Iron Hawk, son of Miramanee and Kirok and his arrival at Starfleet Headquarters. "Things Unsaid" by Lana Brown is about the last few minutes of life left to a bridge crew and "Fuzzies" by Marina Butler is a one-shot joke played on Saavik. Chapel has her story in "Cheeky." There are also quite a number of poems. The art work ranges from good to excellent, especially the front cover. The only problem I had with the zine was in some places the type was so faint it was hard to read. That was a small problem, but someone with sight problems would find it a major block. I really enjoyed this zine and it shows the difference between a well-told story that happens to have sex in it and a story whose main purpose is to get two people in bed together. Most porn is not only poor storytelling but also their description of sex sounds cold and clinical. Not so here, though the scene tends to shift just as the couples start their lovemaking, the scenes still leave the reader overheating.
As you can tell, I enjoyed KATRA: THE EROTIC SPIRIT, so much so that I hope to get [missing words]. [1]
Issue 2
Katra: The Erotic Spirit 2 was published in December 1987 and contains 105 pages.
- What's Behind It? by Helen Ross (4)
- No Lies, No Promises by Kate MacCullugh ("Chimra must decide between her Klingon lover & her career in Starfleet.") (9)
- Slave, poem by Peter Graham (69)
- From Here to Eternity and Back by Lana Brown and Hazel Dodd ("On the good ship Big E Kirk & co hunt Moby Dick.") (71)
- Time Out of Mind by Helen Ross (81)
- Errand of Mercy by Kate MacCullugh (85)
- Thank You, Fairy God-Mother! by Gail Schultz ("A little romp for Kroygail clears the cob-webs & puts a smile on her face.) (91)
- Memories of T'Anie by Helen Ross (100)
- art by Lana Brown, Gail Adams (front cover), Julie Cesari, Robert Jan (back cover), Andrew McGee, and Kate MacCullugh