Time for Yesterday

Time for Yesterday
	Cover
Author	A. C. Crispin
Cover artist	Boris Vallejo
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Star Trek #39
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Pocket Books
Publication date	April 1988
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	320
ISBN	1-85286-063-4
OCLC	24712043
Preceded by	#38 The IDIC Epidemic
Followed by	#40 Timetrap

Last updated September 27, 2021

Time For Yesterday is a science fiction novel by American writer A. C. Crispin ^[1] set in the fictional Star Trek Universe. It is a sequel to Crispin's earlier novel, Yesterday's Son ,^[1] and describes a second encounter between the crew of the USS Enterprise and Spock's son, Zar.

Plot summary

The Guardian of Forever has malfunctioned and is emitting waves of accelerated time that are causing premature star deaths throughout the galaxy. After Spock recalls that his son Zar was once able to communicate telepathically with the Guardian, the Enterprise is placed under the temporary command of Admiral Kirk and detailed to transport a powerful telepath to the Guardian. The telepath manages to partially restore the Guardian's time travel functions but collapses in a comatose state. Using the Guardian, Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy travel into the past of the planet Sarpeidon to find Zar, hoping that his powerful telepathy combined with Vulcan shield training will allow him to successfully restore the Guardian to its normal state.

They find Zar in charge of a small, technologically advanced settlement that is about to engage in a battle with an alliance of less advanced but more numerous enemy clans. His death in the coming battle has been foretold by the priestess Wynn, the daughter of one of the enemy clan chiefs, who declares that the alliance will be denied victory only if "he who is halt walks healed" and "he who is death-struck in battle rises whole." "He who is halt" clearly refers to Zar, who walks with a painful limp because of a leg injury he suffered many years before. In order to increase his city's odds of survival, Zar has Wynn kidnapped and betrothed, forcing her father to change sides. The Enterprise men manage to convince him to come back with them and deal with the Guardian, although he insists that he will return afterward to fight in the battle despite the prophecy.

Zar successfully melds with the Guardian and returns its consciousness to its physical structure, along with a burst of energy that turns out to be several beings of pure energy. The Guardian explains that it abandoned its duties to search for its Creators, who long ago evolved into beings of pure energy and entered another dimension. Its fundamental programming required it to answer their summons and bring them home, and the resource drain connected to the search resulted in its apparent malfunction. The Creators are immensely old and senile, and wish to find their home system to die there; but they have forgotten where it is. The Creators assume the form of people drawn from the memories of the Enterprise men in order to converse with them. While some of the beings act in a benevolent manner, a few seem capricious and cruel, and even completely deranged. Eventually, Kirk and the others manage to convince them that their search would endanger intelligent life throughout the galaxy, and they re-enter another dimension via the Guardian. The Guardian, with the assistance of Zar and Spock, is able to force the remaining, less rational Creators to comply.

McCoy convinces Zar to undergo treatment and physical therapy aboard the Enterprise, healing his limp and giving him a greater chance of survival in the coming battle. Zar achieves peak physical condition and is able to walk normally again, fulfilling the first half of Wynn's prophecy. When he returns to Sarpeidon's past, Spock follows him, intending to help save him in the battle. Spock is unable to prevent the death-blow from landing, although he deflects it slightly, and Zar is unconscious but still alive. In order to fulfill the second half of the prophecy, Spock puts on Zar's armor and shows himself to the army, leading them to believe their leader has risen whole from being "death-struck". Upon seeing this, most of the remaining clans surrender and Zar's army wins the battle. After ensuring that Zar will survive the blow and leaving him to Wynn's care, Spock returns to the present.

Audio version

The book is available in an audiobook adaptation read by James Doohan and Leonard Nimoy.

Release details

1988, USA, Pocket Books ISBN 1-85286-063-4, April 1988, Softcover

Background

Crispin said that of the four Star Trek novels she wrote, "Time for Yesterday" was the one of which she was most proud, "because it was a prequel to Wrath of Khan, my favorite Trek film. Also, it was fun to write a love story for Zar."^[2]

Reception

Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer of Tor.com described the "Yesterday Saga" as "both precious and hilarious."^[3]^[1]

Related Research Articles

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer and based on the television series Star Trek. It is the second film in the Star Trek film series, and is a sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). The plot features Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise facing off against the genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh, a character who first appeared in the 1967 Star Trek episode "Space Seed". When Khan escapes from a 15-year exile to exact revenge on Kirk, the crew of the Enterprise must stop him from acquiring a powerful terraforming device named Genesis. The film is the beginning of a three-film story arc that continues with the film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and concludes with the film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).

James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. Originally played by actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise as captain. Kirk leads his crew as they explore new worlds, new civilizations, and "boldly go where no man has gone before". Often, the characters of Spock and Leonard McCoy act as his logical and emotional sounding boards, respectively. Captain Kirk has been portrayed in numerous films, books, comics, webisodes, and video games.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a 1991 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer. It is the sixth feature film based on Star Trek and a sequel to the 1966–1969 Star Trek television series. Taking place after the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, it is the final film featuring the entire cast of the original series. The destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis leads the Klingon Empire to pursue peace with their longtime adversary the Federation; the crew of the USS Enterprise must race against unseen conspirators with a militaristic agenda.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" is the twenty-eighth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Harlan Ellison, contributors and/or editors to the script included Steven W. Carabatsos, D. C. Fontana and Gene L. Coon. Gene Roddenberry made the final re-write. The episode was directed by Joseph Pevney and first aired on NBC on April 6, 1967.

"The Devil in the Dark" is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek.

"Tomorrow Is Yesterday" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by Michael O'Herlihy, it first aired on January 26, 1967. It was the first Star Trek episode to be written solely by a woman.

"Return to Tomorrow" is the twentieth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by John T. Dugan and directed by Ralph Senensky, it was first broadcast February 9, 1968.

"For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Rik Vollaerts and directed by Tony Leader, it was first broadcast on November 8, 1968.

"All Our Yesterdays" is the twenty-third and penultimate episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Jean Lisette Aroeste and directed by Marvin Chomsky, it was first broadcast March 14, 1969.

Ann Carol Crispin was an American science fiction writer, the author of twenty-three published novels. She wrote several Star Trek and Star Wars novelizations and created an original science fiction series called StarBridge.

Spock Must Die! is an American science fiction novel written by James Blish, published February 1970 by Bantam Books. It was the first original novel based on the Star Trek television series intended for adult readers. It was preceded by a tie-in comic book line published by Gold Key and the novel Mission to Horatius by Mack Reynolds, all intended for younger readers.

Spock, Messiah! is the second original novel based on television series Star Trek intended for adult readers, written by Theodore R. Cogswell and Charles A. Spano, Jr. It was preceded by Spock Must Die! (1970), and Mission to Horatius (1968), however, Mission was intended for young readers.

Sarek is a novel by A. C. Crispin, set in the fictional Star Trek universe. It is set shortly after the motion picture Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan discovers evidence of a complicated plot to cripple the United Federation of Planets; he must work to find out who is behind it while also coming to terms with the death of his human wife, Amanda Grayson. A secondary storyline follows the adventures of Peter Kirk, nephew of James T. Kirk, who inadvertently becomes caught up in the enemy's schemes.

Yesterday's Son is a science fiction novel by American writer A. C. Crispin set in the fictional Star Trek Universe. It describes the events surrounding Spock's discovery that he has a son. Yesterday's Son and its sequel, Time for Yesterday, make up A. C. Crispin's "Yesterday Saga".

My Enemy, My Ally is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by Diane Duane.

Killing Time is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by Della Van Hise and published by Pocket Books in 1985. The original manuscript had Kirk/Spock slash fiction elements, and these were requested to be removed by Paramount. However, they were not removed, and 250,000 copies were printed. These romantic undertones between Spock and James T. Kirk were brought to the attention of the office of the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, who made Pocket Books recall the first edition. This edition subsequently became a collector's item, with more than fifty changes made to a revised version.

Battlestations! is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by Diane Carey.

The Pandora Principle is a science fiction novel by American writer Carolyn Clowes, part of the Star Trek: The Original Series. It features the origin story of Saavik, and how she came to know Spock.

Doctor's Orders is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by Diane Duane.

Enemy Unseen is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by V.E. Mitchell.

References

1 2 3 4 Cheeseman-Meyer, Ellen (5 April 2012). "The Yesterday Saga: Yesterday's Son and Time for Yesterday". Tor.com.
↑ "Talking Trek and Pirates with Author A.C. Crispin". StarTrek.com. April 11, 2011. Yesterday's Son holds the distinction of being the first non-novelization Trek tale to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.
↑ Cheeseman-Meyer, Ellen (9 December 2013). "Vulcans and the Women Who Love Them: A.C. Crispin's Sarek". Tor.com. I reviewed two of her novels some months back with phasers set firmly on snark; The Yesterday Saga was both precious and hilarious.

External links

Time For Yesterday at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek wiki

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Meyer2012-1] 1 2 3 4 Cheeseman-Meyer, Ellen (5 April 2012). "The Yesterday Saga: Yesterday's Son and Time for Yesterday". Tor.com.

[pirates-2] "Talking Trek and Pirates with Author A.C. Crispin". StarTrek.com. April 11, 2011. Yesterday's Son holds the distinction of being the first non-novelization Trek tale to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

[Meyer2013-3] Cheeseman-Meyer, Ellen (9 December 2013). "Vulcans and the Women Who Love Them: A.C. Crispin's Sarek". Tor.com. I reviewed two of her novels some months back with phasers set firmly on snark; The Yesterday Saga was both precious and hilarious.

[1]

[2]

[3]