I thought it was needlessly cruel and forever puts a grim pall over the Family episode. At least David died protecting Spock and Saavik on some level, and his death at the hands of the Klingons colors Kirk's attitudes in TUC.
If any of our heroes have to go to the big cantina in the sky, let it be a death that counts for something, not a cheap plot twist for it's own sake. And no dropping a moon on any Wookiees!