Swords and Sulu

Zine
Title:	Swords and Sulu
Publisher:
Editor:
Author(s):	Janice K. Hrubes
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	November 1977 (reprinted (1978?)
Series?:	yes
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:
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cover of 1977 issue with 61 pages

cover of undated issue with 51 pages

Swords and Sulu is a het Star Trek: TOS novel by Janice K. Hrubes. The 51-page edition contains no interior artwork. The 61-page issue has art by Janice K. Hrubes and Billie Boucher-Sims.

It has a sequel called Murasaki!.

From an ad in Scuttlebutt #4:

A new ST novelette which asks the questions -- Can a half-breed Orion find happiness with a 17th century swashbuckler? Will Sulu really give up his harem? Will Spock ever forgive the Captain? Will McCoy turn in his tongue depressor for an analyst's couch? Will Shana turn in her copy of 'The Gormet's Guide for the Federation' for a copy of the 'Kama Sutra'? Find out for yourself...

Reactions and Reviews

1978

One word describes this lovely novelette, and that is 'delightful.' The story concentrates on Mr. Sulu -- as the title implies -- but the author also uses the rest of the crew quite well. A new character is introduced, a new crewmember named Shana Rayns. A most extraordinary women -- a hybrid, with a human father and an Orion mother. She is something of a genetic freak for although she possesses the appearance of a green animal woman, she is extremely intelligent and according to the author, Orion women are not all intelligent. Shana's Orioese heritage presents problems because humans being what they are, and knowing the legend that animal women are only good for sex, the male members of the crew look upon Shana as an animal woman. This scares her for a while. Only with Mr. Spock is she comfortable, and since Captain Kirk as assigned her to Spock, Shana at least knows a certain sense of security during duty hours. She learned quickly to trust Dr. McCoy and the good doctor spends some interesting moments clueing Spock in on her emotional problems. Shana's fears go much deeper than the fear of human males' reactions. She is terrified of her own sexuality and refuses to confront that part of her personality. Enter Sulu with his own sensitive, compassionate nature. He and Shana find much common ground and they stand together more than once against some of the less-considerate people among the crew, and eventually a friendship forms. It is Sulu who helps Shana face and conquer her personal demons and it is he who helps her mature into a loving, lovely woman. I personally recommend 'Swords and Sulu'.' Janice is an author new to fandom and one who, I believe, is destined to quickly become known as one of the better authors to join our ranks. At any rate, buy the book. It's action, adventure, and romance at its best, and you will enjoy it.

One word describes this lovely novelette, and that is delightful. The story concentrates on Mr. Sulu, as the title implies, but the author uses the rest of the crew quite well.

A new character is introduced, a new crewmember named Shana Rayns. But she is B most extraordinary woman. She is quite small and her skin is dark green. She is also a hybrid; her father having been human and her mother an Orion. Shana is something of a genetic freak, for though she possesses the appearance of a green animal woman, she ie extremely intelligent; and according to the author, the Orion women are not at all intelligent.

But Shana's Orionese heritage presents problems. She had requested assignment on a non-human ship and had previously served aboard an Andorian vessel. With it. usual bureaucratic foul-ups, Star Fleet managed to assign Shana to the Enterprise and its mainly human crew. Humans being whet they are, and knowing the legend that animal women are good only for sex, and that no human male can resist them, the male crewmembers look upon Shana as only an animal woman, which she 1s not. This scares her for it takes quite a while for the males to realize that she isn't theirs for the taking. Only with Mr. Spock is Shana comfortable, and since Kirk had assigned Shana to Spock, Shana at least does know a certain sense of security during duty hours or would if Spock would only stop assigning her to different labs. Shana has quickly learned to trust McCoy, and the good doctor spent some interesting moments cluing Spock in on Shana's emotional problems. Needless to say, Spock has his own problems coping with an assistant who, whenever she gets upset, locks herself in whatever bathroom is handiest and cries. (At one point, she did that in the bathroom of the security cell and the lock jammed on her.)

But Shana's fears go far deeper than the fear of human males' reactions. She is terrified of her own sexuality, and refuses to confront that part of her personality. Little wonder after having seen her mother chained to a post and offered to the highest bidder; and Shana fears that the same thing may happen to her.

Enter Sulu with his own sensitive, compassionate nature. He and Shana find common ground for they fencing, eating (Shana likes to cook), chess and other things. They stand together more than once against some of the less-considerate people among the crew, and eventually a friendship forms. It is Sulu who helps Shana face and conquer her personal demons, and it is he who helps her mature into a lovely, loving woman.

I may be a Spock fan, but I found this story centering on Sulu to be refreshing. The author tells a lively tale in a very sprightly manner. She has fun with the story, and with the readers, lacing the entire novella with bright splashes of humor when it is least expected and best appreciated.

I personally recommend Swords and Sulu. Janice is an author new to fandom and one who, I believe, is destined to quickly become known as one of the better authors to join our ranks. At any rate, buy the book. It is action, adventure, and romance at it's best, and you will enjoy it.

1981

Sulu and a woman of Green Animal-woman ancestry are the protagonists in Janice K. Hrubes' "Murasaki" and "Swords and Sulu." Sulu falls for Shana Raynes and more or less bullies her into marriage. His affection for her is real but his attitude towards her is all too obvious in his nickname for her -- "Baby." The relationship does not remain fixed in a "happily ever after" mode at the end of "Swords and Sulu," but undergoes a series of seven shocks in the second book that leads to eventual recognition on Sulu's part that he must not only permit Shana her own existence but also must do some fast maturing himself if the marriage is to survive. This story has in common with "The Displaced" the very uncommon recognition that extreme possessiveness of one's mate is not a particularly desirable quality.