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Title: More Samurai Than Star Trek
Review: "Shadow Lord" deals with politcal intrigue, samurai-style warfare, and tribal politics on a planet poised to join the Federation. It is hardly a Star Trek novel. Spock and Sulu are the only characters who are present in the entire story. Kirk and McCoy appear briefly at the beginning and end, and that's it for the Star Trek personalities. The writing is decent enough, but the story line is often one-dimensional. The descriptions of sword fighting and equipment are detailed (and graphically violent), but the author doesn't offer very deep insights into any of the characters. Particularly disappointing was the glossing over of Sulu's having broken the Prime Directive.
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