While I'm not as widely read in the realm of Trek fiction as some people (I've probably read about 100 Trek novels in my lifetime), I would say that I think one of the more interesting types of Trek novel is one that doesn't fit into the everyday alien-of-the-week or Enterprise-in-danger-yet-again stories that we tend to see on the small screen. In other words, ones which read more like their own book than like your "everyday" Trek story.
For example, I really enjoyed Articles of the Federation because, though firmly Trek, it wasn't your typical shipboard adventure story; the political intrigue and so forth helped make it a fun read.
I also enjoyed Q-Squared because it seemed to stretch what we would normally see in a Trek novel (at least, up to the point at which it had been written). I mean, having Winnie the Pooh show up on the Enterprise was just a sublimely awesome moment. While Q certainly has shown up in plenty of other books, especially since then, I still think Q-Squared stands out for being rather unique.
Rather less successful was A Hard Rain; with all due respect to a talented writer who has written or co-written some great Trek novels, this one simply did not work for me. Still, I appreciated the effort to try something just a little bit different.
Somewhere in-between for me was the rather comedic How Much for Just the Planet?
So, my question is, what are some of your favorite examples of Trek novels that try to do something unique; that, as one reads them, don't seem like "just another Trek novel" (as wonderful as many of those are) but really stand out for being bold, trying new things, or getting away from formula? Sadly I am too slow a reader to power through every Trek book out there, so I am trying to get a list of some good suggestions in this genre (my favorite series are TNG and DS9, by the way).
On the other hand, can anyone think of times where a Trek novel tried to be different and ended up failing? Again keeping in mind everything said here is with the utmost respect to the talented writers of the various and sundry Trek novels.
Thanks in advance for the interesting discussion which I am confident will follow from the intelligent and well-informed posters to this board.
For example, I really enjoyed Articles of the Federation because, though firmly Trek, it wasn't your typical shipboard adventure story; the political intrigue and so forth helped make it a fun read.
I also enjoyed Q-Squared because it seemed to stretch what we would normally see in a Trek novel (at least, up to the point at which it had been written). I mean, having Winnie the Pooh show up on the Enterprise was just a sublimely awesome moment. While Q certainly has shown up in plenty of other books, especially since then, I still think Q-Squared stands out for being rather unique.
Rather less successful was A Hard Rain; with all due respect to a talented writer who has written or co-written some great Trek novels, this one simply did not work for me. Still, I appreciated the effort to try something just a little bit different.
Somewhere in-between for me was the rather comedic How Much for Just the Planet?
So, my question is, what are some of your favorite examples of Trek novels that try to do something unique; that, as one reads them, don't seem like "just another Trek novel" (as wonderful as many of those are) but really stand out for being bold, trying new things, or getting away from formula? Sadly I am too slow a reader to power through every Trek book out there, so I am trying to get a list of some good suggestions in this genre (my favorite series are TNG and DS9, by the way).
On the other hand, can anyone think of times where a Trek novel tried to be different and ended up failing? Again keeping in mind everything said here is with the utmost respect to the talented writers of the various and sundry Trek novels.
Thanks in advance for the interesting discussion which I am confident will follow from the intelligent and well-informed posters to this board.
