Considered one of the richer Trek novels – this 1988 tome is, indeed, a fun place to romp around in.
The A-story is a little far-fetched: the Vulcans are voting on whether or not to leave the Federation. Certain folks are called in to testify. Kirk-Spock-Bones, of course, but also Sarek, who we get to know more in this story than in anything up until his appearances in TNG
Sprinkled between chapters are tales from the birth of Spock’s planet of Vulcan. We see it before it is dried into a desert. We see the oft-mentioned centuries of brutal conflict. We witness the birth and rise of Surak, founder of modern Vulcan thought and proponent of cthia and Kolinar.
We also see a very excited writer itching to share her insights about Usenet. Eh, who can blame her. Much of the writing is quite good (by the standards given by these books at this time) and if you were to pick up a first Trek novel you could do a lot worse than this one.