Well, for those of us who started reading Star Trek novels in the early 80s, there were still moments of interconnectedness. Authors tended to reuse their own original Starfleet characters (esp. Sky, Duane, Dillard and Crispin), and a number of authors shared Security Chief Ingrit Thomson (with various spellings). A few times, characters, dates, events and starship designs have been cross-pollinated by the novels, DC Comics, the old FASA RPG materials, and official Simon & Schuster reference books.
My advice: Pick a few books at random. But remember the hit/miss ratio is about the same as the TV series'. Some are awesome, some are okay, and some are crap. Don't judge the lot based on one or two bad experiences. Also, if reading things which don't always mesh perfectly with TV/film Trek annoys you (it doesn't me), be prepared for some frustration. Several older novels made assumptions about the Trek universe which were later "invalidated" by subsequent episodes and movies. One of the best Trek novels ever, The Final Reflection, features a Klingon Empire very different to the one we'd learn about in TNG. George Kirk is a redshirt security officer in some older books, a racist politician one time, and has the name Joseph in another. Pre-TOS history and technology is frequently different to that later established in the Enterprise TV series. Remus is a lush, green world in a few novels. Dark Mirror features a TNG mirror universe at odds with the one seen in DS9.
Yeah, I heard of Dark Mirror and honestly like it better than the DS9 one. But yeah, I figured that I'd get recommendations for what people liked so I can focus there because there's a LOT of books and only so much time in the day. In any case, I do appreciate everyone's advice and will definitely keep everyone posted.
Following characters you like, or reading prequel/sequel novels to favourite episodes, can be good strategies. Look up items in "Memory Beta" and see where the footnotes take you. http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
Thanks! I intend to use that to chart my reading! Here's my next two reviews. http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/2011/10/red-king-star-trek-titan-book-2-review.html http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/2011/10/orions-hounds-star-trek-titan-book-3.html I think I'll try Articles of the Federation after my current list is done.
Like so many on this board would, I recommend Vanguard. The DS9 Relaunch is what got my into Treklit really, but lately I've been really enjoying some of the TNG Relaunch. Kirsten Beyer's novels are fantastic, and ANYTHING really by Christopher Bennett.
Get a copy of Voyages of the Imagination. Take a look at the timelime in the back and start from there and read in timeline order.
I'd also say that the post-invasion stuff is very good indeed. Once you've read Destiny, it actually continues with the high standard of storytelling set by the miniseries. I just recently finished Indistinguishable From Magic which is set a couple of years after the fallout from the Borg invasion and centres around Geordi La Forge and Montgomery Scott. It's part of the TNG series, but it's more or less set within three of the Trek centuries (22nd/23rd/24th).
BTW, just finished and reviewed "Sword of Damocles." Nice novel. I enjoy the big science-fiction concept novels.
Here's the release order (and likely best reading order) for the post-Destiny books: (TTN: Titan VOY: Voyager TNG: The Next Generation TP: Typhon Pact DTI: Department of Temporal Investigations) A Singular Destiny TTN: Over a Torrent Sea VOY: Full Circle TNG: Losing the Peace Voy: Unworthy TTN: Synthesis TP: Zero Sum Game TP: Seize The Fire TP: Rough Beasts of Empire TP: Paths of Disharmony Indistinguishable From Magic DIT: Watching the Clock VOY: Children of the Storm TNG: Plagues of Night (coming 2012) TNG: Raise the Dawn (coming 2012) DTI: Forgotten History (I swear Christopher said somewhere that some of it takes place after WTC) (coming 2012) Voy: The Eternal Tide (coming 2012)
Thanks, I appreciate it. Anything anyone would like me to discuss on the boards once I finish reading them?
^Uhhh, whatever you think is worthy of discussion. We don't really set down what to discuss beforehand, we just discuss whatever people bring up.
Cool. I'm looking forward to reading Destiny. I feel kind of bad I learned about some of the major events inside it. Spoiler: Destiny stuff Like Janeway's death, the destruction of the Borg, and the death of Admiral Paris. Still, I think it's the journey rather than the destination that matters. P.S. Amusingly, I had my comments turned off on my blog. For the longest time I thought no one was interested. Man, I feel like a Pakled.
Actually the first of those happened months before Destiny, in the TNG novel Before Dishonor by Peter David. And your description of the second event isn't really accurate -- it's a lot more complicated than it sounds.