After Vanguard - what to read next?

Hi all,

I recently finished the amazing final VAN entry, Storming Heaven, and I find myself with a newfound TOS "itch" (thank you, Mr Mack ).

I'm wondering what to (re) read next, as I'm inclined towards a Trek novel showcasing somewhat darker / "heavier" themes, something with a bit of an edge.

Any recommendations?

 

Have you read Cast No Shadow by James Swallow? It is a must read set after the events in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Contry.
I also recently read Star Trek: That Which Divides by Dayton Ward. It is A TOS book and a good read.

 

Not sure if this is what you're looking for but how about the Rihanssu series?

 

Barbara Hambly's Crossroad fits that bill, being a TOS novel with a somewhat more sober tone than is usually associated with the era and with characters hailing from and shaped by very dark circumstances. I read it twice many years apart, and it's held up well and is very thought-provoking. It's dark and heavy with purpose, not for the chic of it.

 

Section 31: Cloak by S. D. Perry is kind of dark, I think. Prime Directive by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens has some very dark/heavy aspects, given that it's a novel involving a global nuclear war on an alien world. And there's some fairly dark stuff in Dreeams of the Raven by Carmen Carter.

 

If you want something good to follow VAN, I would recommend "That Which Divides" as well. Simply because it is set in the same era and written by Dayton Ward.

For something with an "edge", I also recommend "Zero Sum Game" which is a great espionage story starring Bashir and Ezri by David Mack.

 

Have you read the Mirror Universe, or Myriad Universes books? Both series get pretty dark at times.

 

Thanks for the sugestions, everyone

I'm not looking for a new novel specifically, just something to revisit. I've read most os the novels mentioned, and they're all great picks.

This also reminds me to get That Which Divides

 

In addition to the suggestions you guys provided, I also thought about re-reading the New Earth miniseries, which offers another fresh look at Star Trek (movie era).

Any opinions on it? I dont think i've ever read it completely.

 

No takers at all?

Is New Earth *that* frowned upon?

 

It's pretty bad. Or at least incredibly repetitive and not exactly the "fresh look" you're expecting. Books 2, 4, and 5 are all essentially identical, and 3 goes on foreeeeeever. 1 and 6 I thought were pretty good, but I generally like Diane Carey, and opinions on her vary a lot.

 

Have you read Ex Machina?

 

Ex Machina is another favorite.

the first CLB novel AFAIK, and IMO his best (at least right up there with the first DTI novel - I haven't read the new one)

 

Another novel with an interesting "spin" on Early Trek is The Children of Kings.

While at first I'd thought of this as "just" a TOS novel with other names, the more I (re)read it, I saw a darker and to me a more realistic side of Trek.

I know it's not strictly in Continuity (and IIRC that was a deliberate effort by the author), but I would have liked to revisit this version of Pike's Enterprise.