Hi all. I am on the look out for a really good (or a couple of) star trek books! Can anyone recommend me some? I actually have bought this one: and I will be reading it as soon as I am done with the John Cleese Autobiography. Its meant to be a much better incarnation of the Generations Film conept! So I am looking forward to it. But any other books that I need to get or read?! My favourite era is the OS but open to TNG!
If you like that one I recommend the series of books co written by the Reeves-Stevens with Shatner about Kirk's resurrection after Generations. The first book is the last Kirk story in the 23rd century, Ashes of Eden, followed by the Return. That's a series that needs to be read in order, but Federation stands on it's own. It actually is contradicted by First Contact, but it's still a great read anyways. Coincidentally I'm in the middle of re-reading Federation now!
I'm more of a 24th century guy, but there are plenty of great TOS era books to read. My current recomendations would include: TOS: The Lost Years - J.M. Dillard My Brother's Keeper Trilogy - Michael Jan Friedman Ex Machina - Christopher L. Bennett Mere Anarchy (6 ebook series. Collected in paperback) - various TOS Era: The Vanguard series. 8 books by David Mack, Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore, and Marco Palmieri.
Spock's world by Diane Duane , As others have said The Vanguard series is really fantastic. The cruciable books are really good. The McCoy novel is my favorite that David R. George 3 wrote. From History's shadow by Dayton Ward and Foul Deeds will Rise By Greg Cox.
Vanguard is a great series and Ex-Machina is a favorite too. The Errend of Fury/Errend of Vengeance trilogies are also excellent.
I would agree with all Paris's suggestions above, especially the Vanguard series. If you want TNG a great standalone is Imzadi.
Anything by Una McCormack. Especially The Never-Ending Sacrifice and The Fall: The Crimson Shadow. Anything by David Mack. Especially the Destiny trilogy, Vanguard: Reap the Whirlwind, and Cold Equations: The Persistence of Memory. Anything by David R. George III. Especially Crucible: Provenance of Shadows, Typhon Pact: Plagues of Night, and Typhon Pact: Raise the Dawn. Anything by Keith R.A. DeCandido. Especially The Lost Era: The Art of the Impossible and Articles of the Federation. Anything by Kirsten Beyer. Especially Full Circle and Acts of Contrition. Anything by James Swallow. Especially Terok Nor: Day of the Viper and The Fall: The Poisoned Chalice. Anything by Jeffrey Lang. Especially Immortal Coil and The Light Fantastic. Anything by Christopher L. Bennett. Especially The Buried Age, his Department of Temporal Investigations series, and his Rise of the Federation series. I still rather adore Peter David's TNG novels Vendetta, Q-in-Law, and Q-Squared. Diane Duane's work remains essential. Especially Spock's World and her Rihannsu series.
I'd add Greg Cox to the "Anything by" list. I'll also say that while I'm evidently in the minority on this, Vanguard really didn't do a whole lot for me.
I love Ex Machina, Shadows on the Sun, The Good That Men Do, Full Circle and Prime Directive just to name a few. Also I recommend this website as a guide.
I would definitely recommend "The Return" and the Mirror Universe Trilogy (Spectre, Dark Victory, Preserver) by William Shatner and Garfield & Judith Reeves-Stevens.
If you are looking for one or two great standalones, I'd go with The Lost Era: Serpents Among the Ruins and TLE: The Art of the Impossible. Serpents deals with Captain Harriman and the crew of the Enterprise-B, and Art is about The Betreka Nebula Incident, a conflict between Klingons and Cardassians before TNG. Both books are great, and are easily to jump into if you haven't read any Trek books before. If your interesting in longer series, Vanguard is great. It follows the crew of a space station and some of the ships assigned to it in an unexplored region during the TOS era. It is one of the more arc heavy series and that arc is amazing. There's also a lot of great stuff that takes place after the 24 century shows are over, but that's not worth getting into if your not interested in that era.
I'd recommend The Sundered (Lost Era) because it's one of the best Excelsior/TOS stories I've read. Another one I loved was No Time Like the Past (TOS/VOY). It's one of the most fun novels out there. As is Q-in-Law (TNG).
Oh yeah, Q-In-Law was a great story. And if you can find the audio adaptation, it is really funny to listen to John de Lancie and Majel Barret do the voices for everyone, and then at the end get right down as Lwaxana Troi and Q. It's to bad that they never appeared on TV together.
Lot of good stuff been posted, but missing the best of them all - John M Ford's "The Final Reflection" Just bear in mind it was written in the eighties, so the klingons are not space vikings