Non-star Trek books for Star Trek fans

[The Wormhole]

What Sawyer was trying to say was in reference to many sci-fi authors "of his generation" always felt a need to do their own take on "Star Trek done right" of which Starplex was his. Specifically, he always disapproved o the military side of Starfleet* and wanted to depict his own take on an actually non-militaristic civilian space exploration starship.

*Yes, Sawyer considers Starfleet military. No, this should not be an excuse to engage in That Argument.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

For anyone interested, the first four chapters and the outline of his proposed Star Trek novel, Armada (which obviously never came to pass), are available on his website.

And apparently a fifth, as of 2014 (in addition to the outline ).

 

[Miami Vice Admiral]

Another story I’d like to toss out is The Last Planet by Andre Norton. It’s about a ship of explorers that crash land on an alien world in the midst of a dying star empire (a la foundation). It’s very much of its era with ray guns, evil telepaths, and androids. Still if you like pulp sci fi it’s pretty good.

The Star Trek element is that the explorers are a diverse crew of aliens and humans and there is a strong subplot about bigotry towards aliens. I think TOS fans will enjoy the classic sci fi action mixed with social commentary.

 

[Greg Cox]

This is where I shamelessly cite Only Superhuman by fellow Trek novelist Christopher Bennett, which features lots of colorful characters and cool world-building throughout Earth's solar system.

(Full disclosure: I edited that novel for Tor.)

 

[Christopher]

This is where I shamelessly cite Only Superhuman by fellow Trek novelist Christopher Bennett, which features lots of colorful characters and cool world-building throughout Earth's solar system.

(Full disclosure: I edited that novel for Tor.)

I appreciate the nod. I was tempted to tout my novels, but while my SF universe started out in my teens as my version of "doing Star Trek right," I ended up deciding it was better to make it distinct from Trek and avoid the "starship exploring alien worlds" format, unless I did it in a very different way, as in my Arachne novels. Still, my original work pretty much shares the same values and philosophy as Trek.

 

[Greg Cox]

At this point, Star Trek is to futuristic space exploration what Dracula is to vampire stories. You're either writing toward it or away from it, but you're almost always in conversation with it.

 

[Zarm]

At this point, Star Trek is to futuristic space exploration what Dracula is to vampire stories. You're either writing toward it or away from it, but you're almost always in conversation with it.

It reminds me of the Terry Pratchett quote on Tolkien...

“J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.”

 

[Stevil2001]

I haven't read every post in this thread closely, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone who likes Star Trek wouldn't like the Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold.

 

[Miami Vice Admiral]

I haven't read every post in this thread closely, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone who likes Star Trek wouldn't like the Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold.

I know those are really beloved! I read warriors apprentice but wasn’t crazy about it. It was a little too goofy for my taste. Do the later books with adult miles get more serious? Or do you have any particular book you’d recommend that would make me a fan?

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

the Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold.

The what books by whom?

 

[Greg Cox]

The what books by whom?

I'm not sure if you're joking, but, just in case you're not, Bujold has been a hugely popular SF writer for decades now: awards, bestsellers, fan clubs, conventions, etc.

Which reminds me of a funny story:

A few years back, a fannish couple introduced to me to their new baby daughter, "Cordelia."

"Ah," I said, nodding sagely. "From King Lear."

"No, from Lois Bujold."

 

[Stevil2001]

I know those are really beloved! I read warriors apprentice but wasn’t crazy about it. It was a little too goofy for my taste. Do the later books with adult miles get more serious? Or do you have any particular book you’d recommend that would make me a fan?

I could see that. I don't know that that ever totally goes away, but different books have different levels of it. (As does, of course, Star Trek.) A couple recommendations for continuing:

• Bujold wrote the books in a very strange order, and in many cases, she revisited an early book several years later with a direct sequel. The follow-up to Warrior's Apprentice, The Vor Game is more serious, I think, and might hit the notes you want.
• You might also enjoy the duology about Miles's parents, Shards of Honor and Barrayar. I read them in my early 20s and thought them fine; I reread them in my late 30s and found them excellent. Definitely a more adult tone.
• You might also just enjoy keeping going. I do think there are some goofier ones later on, but they also get quite serious and disturbing. I do think part of the effect of the books is their totality; it's hard to recommend reading just one on its own. But I think if you did Warrior's Apprentice, Vor Game, Brothers in Arms, and Mirror Dance in that order, and hadn't found something to latch onto, they're probably not the books for you!

The what books by whom?

Do you not know how to read?

 

[Christopher]

A few years back, a fannish couple introduced to me to their new baby daughter, "Cordelia."

Ah, so they took the famous acting advice -- they got a small Cordelia.

 

[Greg Cox]

Another funny Bujold story: Decades ago, when I was just starting out, I did a signing with Bujold at some long-ago WorldCon.

She had just won the Hugo Award for Best Novel the night before. I had only sold a handful of short stories to Amazing and the like.

It was a humbling experience.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Do you not know how to read?

While it is surprising that someone might not have heard of Bujold, these things do happen, and we are not supposed to get personal with our responses. Post, not poster, please.

 

[Stevil2001]

While it is surprising that someone might not have heard of Bujold, these things do happen, and we are not supposed to get personal with our responses. Post, not poster, please.

I'm not surprised that someone hasn't heard of Bujold, I just don't know what the poster in question meant with their response. Surely the whole point of this thread is to recommend things other people haven't heard of, otherwise what's the point? But point taken.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

The title and author name combined sounds like a mouthful?

To me, usually when somebody says "the what by whom?", it's in response to someone who spoke - the hearer didn't quite make out what they said.

 

[Stevil2001]

To me, usually when somebody says "the what by whom?", it's in response to someone who spoke - the hearer didn't quite make out what they said.

Okay but this is a written medium.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Yes - I'm saying it doesn't make sense unless the sentence means "I've never heard of that before" or "the book name and author's name would a mouthful/tongue twister if spoken aloud."

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

And I was indeed saying that I'd heard of neither the series nor the author.

Keep in mind that I'm 2 books into reading Potter. For the first time. Without having seen more than a few clips of any of the movies.

And I'm considering reading Doctor Dolittle. For the first time.

And I gave up on post-Baum Oz novels after the first RPT volume. And have no intention of reading, or seeing any movie or Broadway adaptation of, any of the Maguire Oz books.

On the other hand, I've now read two different English translations of Dante's Divine Comedy.

Oh, and this may be an Orange County, California thing, but when I hear the name Cordelia, I think of Walter Knott's wife.

Ah, so they took the famous acting advice -- they got a small Cordelia.

Huh?