Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan

 

Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A plague is running rampant through the felinoid population of Eeiauo and the Federation has sent the Enterprise to aid in treatment and research along with Dr Evan Wilson to handle shipboard duties while McCoy goes planet side. The virus then jumps species and a galactic pandemic is underway but maybe there is hope as Uhura knows some old songs of the Eeiauoan people one of which tells of a disease very much like the "long death" but the final verses are missing. When the song is investigated the Eeiauo doctor rejects the notion that they hold the key to the cure and when evidence points to Eeiauo not being the homeworld of this species the same doctor loses his temper and then collapses. Uhura and Spock through the songs locate a general region of space when the homeworld could be and the Enterprise is sent to find the cure and all prime directives are rescinded.
The story really begins as the landing party make contact with the natives of a world they come to know as Sivao and try to find the cure for a disease but they are considered children in this culture and some things are not told to children.
Uhura's Song is easily one of my favourite Star Trek novels, while Uhura takes center stage as the driving character of the story the majority of the crew get decent coverage and story development. Chekov is well served as well and the inclusion of Dr Evan Wilson as a catalyst is inspired both within the crew of the Enterprise and the people of the camp they find themselves in. The Sivao natives are also well developed and offer plenty of range in character traits/types which allow for full development and thus a satisfying pay off.
Highly recommended for any fan of the original series.

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