What’s your favorite Star Trek book?
- Thread starter J C
- Start date
There are many, many books I love. But there is one that has always been my absolute favorite. It's a bit of a dark horse and usually doesn't appear on other's lists of favorites.
Chain of Attack by Gene DeWeese. The Enterprise gets flung to a far-off galaxy (so there is no way they can get any help). It starts off a bit creepy, with a sense of foreboding as they encounter world after world devastated by war centuries earlier. Then they finally encounter the warring factions and Captain Kirk gets the two sides talking for the first time. Kirk has to exercise his diplomatic skills, as well as his skills as a warrior, and they get to actually seek out new worlds.
The Destiny trilogy by David Mack is also up there for me. Not only do we see the end of the Borg threat, but he gives us a plausible explanation for the Borg's origins (and maybe why the Borg are so "fascinated" by humanity).
To Reign in Hell by Greg Cox is a superb book, the 3rd in Cox' Khan trilogy. It covers the period between "Space Seed" and TWOK. I read that in over a weekend, rare for me as it usually takes me 3 or 4 weeks to read a book. He tells a great, dramatic story, and along the way he explains away some of the inconsistencies between the two. He also presents us with a basis for Khan's singleminded focus on revenge against Kirk in TWOK. How Khan's descent into madness didn't happen overnight. It was a slow build up until his only purpose was vengeance.
The Higher Frontier by Christopher Bennett. I love movie era books, and like Cox, Christopher also does some continuity world building, tying TMP and TWOK together better and explaining some of the changes we see in TWOK. I am a bit of a continuity junkie so any world building in that regard is always appreciated
.
I also really enjoyed the relaunch novels of the different series. Most of those novels were at least above average. The authors who wrote those books did a really good job carrying the story forward and working together to keep the stories flowing. I also appreciated having new stories to read while Star Trek was in hibernation (outside the Abrams movies). There was no new Star Trek shows being produced so the books kept the universe moving forward for really over 10 years. So thanks guys. And girls
Chain of Attack by Gene DeWeese. The Enterprise gets flung to a far-off galaxy (so there is no way they can get any help). It starts off a bit creepy, with a sense of foreboding as they encounter world after world devastated by war centuries earlier. Then they finally encounter the warring factions and Captain Kirk gets the two sides talking for the first time. Kirk has to exercise his diplomatic skills, as well as his skills as a warrior, and they get to actually seek out new worlds.
The Destiny trilogy by David Mack is also up there for me. Not only do we see the end of the Borg threat, but he gives us a plausible explanation for the Borg's origins (and maybe why the Borg are so "fascinated" by humanity).
To Reign in Hell by Greg Cox is a superb book, the 3rd in Cox' Khan trilogy. It covers the period between "Space Seed" and TWOK. I read that in over a weekend, rare for me as it usually takes me 3 or 4 weeks to read a book. He tells a great, dramatic story, and along the way he explains away some of the inconsistencies between the two. He also presents us with a basis for Khan's singleminded focus on revenge against Kirk in TWOK. How Khan's descent into madness didn't happen overnight. It was a slow build up until his only purpose was vengeance.
The Higher Frontier by Christopher Bennett. I love movie era books, and like Cox, Christopher also does some continuity world building, tying TMP and TWOK together better and explaining some of the changes we see in TWOK. I am a bit of a continuity junkie so any world building in that regard is always appreciated
. I also really enjoyed the relaunch novels of the different series. Most of those novels were at least above average. The authors who wrote those books did a really good job carrying the story forward and working together to keep the stories flowing. I also appreciated having new stories to read while Star Trek was in hibernation (outside the Abrams movies). There was no new Star Trek shows being produced so the books kept the universe moving forward for really over 10 years. So thanks guys. And girls
At this point, it's a toss-up:
- The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack - I didn't know I needed a YA boarding school adventure in my Star Trek. That surprise, coupled with Una's magnificent writing, made this stand out.
- Articles of the Federation by Keith R.A. DeCandido - Nan Bacco doing politics. Thrilling read that expands the scope of what Star Trek can be.
- The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack - what happens when a tie-in book is better than the entire show that comes after it? A wonderful progression of the characters and made me enjoy Raffi a LOT.
Now my own reaction could not possibly be any more directly opposite the above than it is. Except for what is probably the most gratuitous (and nauseating) invocation of the "eye-scream" trope in the entire ST canon (even worse than Picard's Borg nightmare in FC, and Leland at the retinal scanner), at the beginning of "Stardust City Rag," I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of Picard. The Last Best Hope, on the other hand, is one of only two books I sincerely wish I could un-read, and probably the only Una McCormack opus I didn't like. And the other is a book I don't talk about, whose only redeeming virtue is that it demonstrates that a self-published opus, even an abominably bad one, so long as it's free of any known vanity imprint, actually can make it into B&N.
My list of favorites:
TOS
TNG
DS9
Crossovers, special events and non-TV related
TOS
- Prime Dirctive
- Spock's World
- Crucible trilogy
- The Final Reflection
- The Case of the Colonist's Corpse
- The Latter Fire
- Child of Two Worlds
- Burning Dreams
- The Joy Machine
- Shadows on the Sun
- Ex Machina
- Strangers from the Sky
- Section 31: Cloak
TNG
- Imzadi
- Q-Squared
- Vendetta
- Do Comets Dream?
- The Devil's heart
- Dark Mirror
- Immortal Coil
- Cold Equations trilogy
- A Time to Kill/Heal
- A tome for War, A time for Peace
DS9
- Millennium trilogy
- A Stitch in Time
- The 34th Rule
- Hollow Men
- The Left Hand of Detiny
- Avatar duology
- Unity
Crossovers, special events and non-TV related
- Destiny trilogy (probably my favorite Trek story in any medium)
- Vanguard series
- Federation
- Art of the Impossible
- Articles of the Federation
- The Buried Age
- Seprents among the Ruins
- New Frontier up to the post-Nemesis timejump
- The Sorrows of Empire
- Section 31 duology - Control & Disavowed
Now look. I have an objectively garbage taste in basically everything, so I can't defend this. But.
The Return by William Shatner and a couple other people who probably just ghostwrote this one thing and never touched Trek again*. It was pure masturbatory fanfic written by one of the greatestminds egos this franchise has ever seen. Every chapter is so bad but so good. Kirk coming back from the dead because the Romulans teamed up with the Borg for some reason and also the Borg have magic resurrection abilities (technically canon!). Kirk vs Worf! A new Enterprise but it's the Defiant and black so it's cool! Kirk figuring out the grand puzzle of how to fit the Defiant inside a Romulan Warbird! Kirk beat the Borg forever! Sort of!
Every paragraph is a masterpiece. I hate it. I love it. I want it to be a movie.
* - That was a joke. I know who the Reeves-Stevens' are.
The Return by William Shatner and a couple other people who probably just ghostwrote this one thing and never touched Trek again*. It was pure masturbatory fanfic written by one of the greatest
Every paragraph is a masterpiece. I hate it. I love it. I want it to be a movie.
* - That was a joke. I know who the Reeves-Stevens' are.
For I can't really narrow it down to individual books, so I tend to go more by series.
Vanguard
DS9 Relaunch - Avatar through The Soul Key
Titan
The Lost Era (I've only read The Sundered, Serpents Among the Ruins, and The Art of the Impossible)
SCE/Corps of Engineers
TNG Relaunch
VOY Relaunch
Vanguard
DS9 Relaunch - Avatar through The Soul Key
Titan
The Lost Era (I've only read The Sundered, Serpents Among the Ruins, and The Art of the Impossible)
SCE/Corps of Engineers
TNG Relaunch
VOY Relaunch
Strangers From the Sky
By Margaret Wander Bonanno
By Margaret Wander Bonanno
Always a very difficult question.
One of the most satisfying, bittersweet novels was "New Frontier: Stone and Anvil", which resolved numerous long-running threads, especially for Ensign Janos, the galaxy's only sentient Mugato.
Prior to that, "Strangers from the Sky" by Margaret Wander Bonanno was also a solid, satisfying story. Despite its very abridged audio version, that is the story I have probably reread/listened to the most.
As an avid TMP fan, Christopher L Bennett's "Ex Machina" was always going to be a must-read for me. The book made excellent use of the multi-species crew we saw (so briefly) on the Rec Deck in TMP. And Christopher even has online annotations that enrich the reading experience!
As an Andorian fan(atic), Heather Jarman's "Worlds of Deep Space Nine, Book 1: Andor: Paradigm", which introduces Therin Park, is special to me. A whole novel set on Andor, essentially focusing on two original characters created for the DS9 Relaunch. Thanks to Marco Palmieri, it was actually sent to me in manuscript form so I could preview it. I wasn't game to mention Therin Park in my feedback notes in case it was taken out before publication!
I'm just finishing up "Picard: Rogue Elements", the Rios novel by John Jackson Miller. It is quite a joyous book, with some great plot twists, and I have had a great time with it.
(EDIT: Ah, I figured this was an older thread and I might have already answered: "The Entropy Effect", "Metamorphosis", "Immortal Coil" and "Crucible: McCoy" also got mentions last time I attempted it.)
One of the most satisfying, bittersweet novels was "New Frontier: Stone and Anvil", which resolved numerous long-running threads, especially for Ensign Janos, the galaxy's only sentient Mugato.
Prior to that, "Strangers from the Sky" by Margaret Wander Bonanno was also a solid, satisfying story. Despite its very abridged audio version, that is the story I have probably reread/listened to the most.
As an avid TMP fan, Christopher L Bennett's "Ex Machina" was always going to be a must-read for me. The book made excellent use of the multi-species crew we saw (so briefly) on the Rec Deck in TMP. And Christopher even has online annotations that enrich the reading experience!
As an Andorian fan(atic), Heather Jarman's "Worlds of Deep Space Nine, Book 1: Andor: Paradigm", which introduces Therin Park, is special to me. A whole novel set on Andor, essentially focusing on two original characters created for the DS9 Relaunch. Thanks to Marco Palmieri, it was actually sent to me in manuscript form so I could preview it. I wasn't game to mention Therin Park in my feedback notes in case it was taken out before publication!
I'm just finishing up "Picard: Rogue Elements", the Rios novel by John Jackson Miller. It is quite a joyous book, with some great plot twists, and I have had a great time with it.
(EDIT: Ah, I figured this was an older thread and I might have already answered: "The Entropy Effect", "Metamorphosis", "Immortal Coil" and "Crucible: McCoy" also got mentions last time I attempted it.)
I have so many favorites. I love Uhura's Song (Kagen), Ishmael (Hambly), Vulcan's Forge, Vulcan's Heart Sherman and Schwartz), The Prometheus Design (Clowes), Entropy Effect (McIntyre), Doctor's Orders (Duane), My Enemy, My Ally (Duane), Ex Machina (Bennett), Miasma (Cox), Child of Two Worlds (Cox) and so many others. But there's a lot I didn't like, too.
I see other people mention my favorites, such as the Spaceflight Chronology, Spock's World, and Federation.
I'll add all three of the Millennium trilogy to the list. I really like the world-building that Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens do is engrossing, and I love the premise of an alternate future.
I wish more authors had used the Grigari in their stories, as I wanted to learn more about them as a species, but with the shutdown of the litverse, I'll just have to dream.
I'll add all three of the Millennium trilogy to the list. I really like the world-building that Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens do is engrossing, and I love the premise of an alternate future.
I wish more authors had used the Grigari in their stories, as I wanted to learn more about them as a species, but with the shutdown of the litverse, I'll just have to dream.
There is nothing stopping the Grigari from coming back.
I remember finally seeing one in a DS9 videogame and being somewhat disappointed in the design. In the books they're like the Borg but far more evil and insidious. Definitely would like a comeback, they've got Big Bad written all over them.
There's quite a few for me:
Imzadi
Q-Squared
Vendetta
A Rock & A Hard Place
The Captain's Daughter
First eight New Frontier books
Double or Nothing
Once Burned
Crossover
The Devil's Heart
The Ashes of Eden
The Return
Federation
The Left Hand of Destiny duology
Cloak
Abyss
The Sundered
The Art of the Impossible
Serpents Among the Ruins
Catalyst of Sorrows
Well of Souls
Resistance
Destiny Trilogy
Losing the Peace
Objective: Bajor
The Wrath of the Prophets
The Pandora Principle
Full Circle
Last Full Measure
The Good That Men Do
Zero Sum Game
Imzadi
Q-Squared
Vendetta
A Rock & A Hard Place
The Captain's Daughter
First eight New Frontier books
Double or Nothing
Once Burned
Crossover
The Devil's Heart
The Ashes of Eden
The Return
Federation
The Left Hand of Destiny duology
Cloak
Abyss
The Sundered
The Art of the Impossible
Serpents Among the Ruins
Catalyst of Sorrows
Well of Souls
Resistance
Destiny Trilogy
Losing the Peace
Objective: Bajor
The Wrath of the Prophets
The Pandora Principle
Full Circle
Last Full Measure
The Good That Men Do
Zero Sum Game
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The Fallen is a good game. Their game design mapped pretty closely to how I imagined them to look when first reading the Millennium books.
They are definitely quality Big Bad villians, but I'm not holding my breath for a comeback. Maybe I'm still salty about the nuking of the litverse and supplanting it with TV-aligned books... I just don't foresee anything unique like them being written anymore.
I am re-reading that now.
Why? You don't think the writers can use their imaginations to create any new and unique villains? It's a big universe out there.
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