The October Sky Answers by the author Ken Follett is an easy-to-read, yet very informative manual for those new to the Star Trek universe and an easy workbook to produce worksheets from. As with all Ken Follett’s Star Trek books, this one is an excellent introduction to the real history and character of Captain James T. Kirk.
This entire manuscript is written in a very relaxed tone that is perfectly suited to new readers. It is also a book that doesn’t require a lot of practice to read. Many of the topics on display are very broad, so even people who are not likely to be fans of the Star Trek universe will be able to pick up on some of the small clues about the actual plot and characters.
There are some very well-written tight pages about relations between Kirk and Spock, which are a nice touch. This might be a good time to suggest to those who are reading this book, that perhaps they might wish to go ahead and read The Descent to a Hot Planet, but I digress. The book is written in a way that is actually readable and just plain interesting. There are also some excellent character development worksheets.
I do find that the book actually overstates its own importance by using the terminology from other works to describe the story of the character of Spock but then brings this terminology back into the story, without really explaining it, like a skilled professional. Also, some of the other little trivia tidbits about the movies should not be missed. Some of the Vulcan phrases are simply bizarre, but at least the film lines are explained and intelligible!
The Cadet Training Handbook is a bit more accurate, but it is a smaller book, mostly consisting of plots and background on the characters. At least we can refer to it as “A Handy Book” which is a great way to describe it. The material includes some important information on Scotty, some of his earlier adventures with the Enterprise, and some of the things he says about being a part of an elite and distinguished Starfleet team.
The cadet training handbook also provides lots of general information about Starfleet Academy. One of the more interesting bits of information that was included was information on the writings of a certain Commander Spock, who worked on the original Star Trek series. A few quotes from his book are also included.
On a side note, the cadet training handbook also has lots of events and activities that you can find out about with the events. Here you can find out if James T. Kirk graduated from Starfleet Academy, and how many assignments and tasks he has completed on his way to achieving success in life.
The cadet training handbook contains a wealth of information about the history of Starfleet Academy, its life before Star Trek was a thing, and a few historical anecdotes. It also contains a few facts about the television series, like the Star Trek series finale of “The City on the Edge of Forever” and the Admiral Marcus novel.
