IDW Publishing 2017
Written by Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson
Illustrated by Tony Shasteen
Coloured by J.D. Mettler
Lettered by AndWordDesign
Previously in STAR TREK: DISCOVERY...
Before he was a legendary warrior, T ’Kuvma was a young Klingon from House Gir jah, a once mighty house in deep decline. The last hope to reverse his family’s for tunes is a ruined ancestral ship, long forgotten and hidden deep in the woods, which T ’Kuvma’s sister J’Ula has vowed to rebuild. T ’Kuvma longs to stay and help his sister, but instead is sent away to the monastery on Boreth…
Well I do like me a good Star Trek story and since I’m barely into the season I was thrilled that this wasn’t one of those books that mirrored the series. That it is a book focusing on the past of one of Klingon’s most feared and admired warrior. It is a very interesting look at this version of Klingons not to mention I do rather enjoy a coming of age story. This is an extremely solid too story too the way it’s structured the ebb & flow of how we learn about him and surprisingly it’s not what we expect.
So Klingons are a vast array of characters that come in different shapes, sizes, colours and formations so to see T’Kuvma want to be a priest and not a warrior as is his destiny is rather fascinating. The characterisation though is so gosh darn good here and as we see the students go through their tests, or trials and those who are to survive will be the next generation to serve in Boreth. Only that isn’t the fate lies before T’Kuvma no matter how much wants it to be otherwise.
I really think this story is pretty remarkable in that we are seeing a whole new side to the Klingons that I have never seen before. I think the way that we are seeing them be so diverse in nature and not all of them seem to be as war hungry as others well it sheds a new light on things. Of course that it is J’Ula who wanted peace among the Klingons and instead goes off to do her duty giving up her childish dreams but telling T’Kuvma to still follow them. I do like that we see these events that shape the destiny of the characters and how bowing to social pressure and upholding traditions no matter how archaic can have a ripple effect on those around them.
The interiors here are strong and the use of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a nice eye for storytelling. I am slightly disappointed in the fact that during their trials spending the night in winter in the nude we didn’t see how the Klingons are represented anatomically. I like the way backgrounds and scenery are utilised here as it serves to expand the story and give it this larger than life feel. Oh and that ship with it’s interiors yeah stunning work indeed a total wow moment from Tony and J.D.. This is yet another stunning, shining example of why I’m such a fan of Tony’s work it’s superb and above and beyond the call of duty.
I like the way that this is a look at the events which shaped T’Kuvma and how he would become the man he was meant to be. It is a hard, long journey for that to happen and from the looks of things they aren’t going to get easier anytime soon. I also look forward to seeing how the light which guided him at Boreth if that will guide him at as well.
There’s plenty of room in the Star Trek universe for stories like this one and I gotta tell ya this creative team is pretty spectacular.