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Vulcan's Heart

A major turning point in the life of Spock!

Vulcan's Heart is a Pocket TOS novel – the second novel in the Vulcan series – written by Josepha Sherman & Susan Shwartz. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in hardback in July 1999.

Summary[]

From the book jacket

2329: Now a diplomat for the United Federation of Planets, Spock agrees to a bonding with Commander Saavik. More than a betrothal, less than a wedding, the sacred Vulcan rite is attended by both Spock's father, Sarek, and a nervous young Starfleet lieutenant named Jean-Luc Picard.

2344: Ambassador Spock receives a top-secret communication from the heart of the Romulan Empire. Decades before, Spock had met and betrayed an honorable Romulan commander during the so-called "Enterprise incident." Now she needs his help to prevent a catastrophe that could threaten the peace of the entire quadrant. Spock risks everything by traveling incognito to Romulus itself, but his covert mission becomes even more perilous when Saavik crosses the Neutral Zone to rescue him.

Enmeshed in the treacherous political intrigues of the Romulan capital, undone by a fire that grows ever hotter within his blood, Spock must use all his logic and experience to survive a crisis that will ultimately determine the fate of empires. Vulcan's Heart is a powerful tale that explores an untold turning point in the ongoing saga of Spock and the world of Vulcan.

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Background information[]

The idea to feature Spock's wedding (which was obliquely established in TNG: "Sarek") came from Pocket editor John Ordover. (Voyages of Imagination, p. 132)
The audiobook version was abridged by George Truett.
An extract from this novel appeared in Star Trek Monthly issue 57.
The Science Fiction Book Club released a special edition of the hardback in August 1999.
The paperback edition of the novel contained Chapter Ten of the serialized novel Starfleet: Year One.
According to Voyages of Imagination, the relationship between Spock and Saavik was a source of controversy and division amongst readers. As Voyages author Jeff Ayers put it: "[some] saw it as a reasonable evolution of their relationship over several decades; others saw it as an inappropriate violation of their earlier teacher/student relationship." (Voyages of Imagination, p. 132)
In the cover image, Saavik wears a Starfleet uniform with a red turtleneck collar, indicating a cadet or trainee, even though in this novel, she has a command division posting. Also, the detailed turtleneck collars worn in the Star Trek films were no longer in use at this point in the 24th century. Pictured is Saavik's uniform in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, when she was a cadet lieutenant wearing the older style collar.
This novel coined the name "Hall of State" for the Romulan capitol building, which was made canon decades later by the Star Trek: Picard episode "Absolute Candor".