Books About Data?

[S. Gomez]

My favourite character on TNG is Data. They wrote some great stuff with him, particularly the episode "The Measure of A Man", which I just finished watching. I was wondering if those more knowledgeable than I about TrekLit would know of any books that centred on Data and his quest to become more human. In particular, I'm wondering if any books explore his early days, when he was first found, how he decided to join Starfleet, his days in the academy (other than those YA Starfleet Academy books).

I've already written down Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang, but haven't had a chance to actually check it out yet.

 

[Shakaar]

Metamorphosis by Jean Lorrah was Data-centric and dealt with his quest for humanity. Its been quite awhile since I read it though, so I'm not sure how well it holds up.

 

[S. Gomez]

^Oh yeah, I think I used to have that one. Gave it away without actually reading it (he said, blushing). It was an early TNG novel wasn't it?

 

[Shakaar]

I believe it was the first TNG Giant novel.

 

[Trent Roman]

As for Data's earlier days, Christopher L. Bennett's The Buried Age covers Picard and Data's first meeting and assignment together.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[KRAD]

For some good stories about Data dealing with getting his emotion chip (a ball the TNG movies dropped, then actively threw away), I recommend the short story "Friends with the Sparrows" by Christopher L. Bennett in The Sky's the Limit and the Slings and Arrows eBook miniseries (particularly Books 2-3, The Oppressor's Wrong by Phaedra M. Weldon and The Insolence of Office by William Leisner). They all take place between Generations and First Contact and show Data's growing pains with the emotion chip.

In addition, the removal of Data's chip is a running theme throughout the nine-book A Time to... miniseries, with him having it taken away (and the reasons why) in A Time to Be Born and A Time to Die by John Vornholt, his dealing with the (lack of) emotional fallout in A Time to Sow and A Time to Harvest by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore, and his being examined and questioned deeply on the subject during an inspection tour in A Time for War, a Time for Peace by Keith R.A. DeCandido (who?).

 

[S. Gomez]

^More good reasons to check out the entire A Time To... series. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Call them fan-wanky and self-indulgent, but "Metamorphosis" and "Immortal Coil" are wonderful Data novels for Data fanatics.

 

[JD]

I haven't read it yet, but Immortal Coil comes up pretty much any time someone asks about Data or TNG stories.