However, I'm really just here to put in a good word for Spock's World, also by Diane Duane, which had a plot of some kind who knows, but which spent most of its time (as far as I can recall) exploring Vulcan philosophy and the life of Surak, with overall surprisingly Aristotelian vibes. It really grabbed me.
I am also a big sucker for stories of the Sundering between Vulcan and Romulan, which, to me, is just an incredible largely-untold story. (And one that feels more and more... relevant?) Like, come on, S'task was Surak's greatest disciple and then he founds Romulus instead? I need to know how that conversation went!
I've never actually read The Romulan Way, much to my shame, but I have checked it out from the Internet Archive just to read all the parts in flashback. The better parts of the Vulcan's Soul trilogy are all flashbacks to the Sundering, too, though those were written well after everything else on this list.
(I was able to get Joanne Linville to reprise her role on my show in 2016, which was quite an experience -- and I think her last time acting? -- but, since I hadn't read Rihannsu then, either, I've always worried I screwed her character up. Still, that lady could ACT.)
YES! FINALLY! Rogation Dragon content about media I've heard of! It was *extremely* weird to see "Aefvadh" in my inbox attached to this sender line.
First things first: I feel that no discussion of Star Trek tie-in novels from the 1970s and 80s is complete without a link to http://mightygodking.com/2009/02/23/and-the-circle-is-complete/
However, I'm really just here to put in a good word for Spock's World, also by Diane Duane, which had a plot of some kind who knows, but which spent most of its time (as far as I can recall) exploring Vulcan philosophy and the life of Surak, with overall surprisingly Aristotelian vibes. It really grabbed me.
I am also a big sucker for stories of the Sundering between Vulcan and Romulan, which, to me, is just an incredible largely-untold story. (And one that feels more and more... relevant?) Like, come on, S'task was Surak's greatest disciple and then he founds Romulus instead? I need to know how that conversation went!
I've never actually read The Romulan Way, much to my shame, but I have checked it out from the Internet Archive just to read all the parts in flashback. The better parts of the Vulcan's Soul trilogy are all flashbacks to the Sundering, too, though those were written well after everything else on this list.
(I was able to get Joanne Linville to reprise her role on my show in 2016, which was quite an experience -- and I think her last time acting? -- but, since I hadn't read Rihannsu then, either, I've always worried I screwed her character up. Still, that lady could ACT.)