Charting the Novel-verse

[Christopher]

Returning to the Lost Years example, I plan to read Dreadnaughts very soon. And I also want to read Mindshadow, to familiarize myself with J.M. Dillard's original characters (a security chief?). So, I'm wondering if I can get away with just reading Mindshadow, or will I get a more full effect from reading Dillard's other TOS novels before tackling The Lost Years?

I think each of Dillard's first three books introduces new characters and advances their relationships, so it'd probably be best to read Mindshadow, Demons, and Bloodthirst before TLY, although Bloodthirst and Dreadnought! are sort of awkward read close together because they both involve independent conspiracies among Starfleet flag officers.

Will I be okay with just Dreadnaught! before TLY, or should I also read Diane Carey's Battlestations as well to understand the Rittenhouse scandal?

The mention of Rittenhouse in TLY is in passing, and it doesn't address anything from Battlestations!, as far as I recall.

When it comes to Time For Yesterday, will I be okay with The Vulcan Academy Murders, or will the IDIC Epidemic be helpful to have been read?

I don't recally what aspects from those books are referred to in TFY, but it's probably just another minor detail rather than any specific events being referenced. Still, seeing as how The Vulcan Academy Murders and The IDIC Epidemic are consecutive adventures with continuing characters between them, it would make sense to read them together.

 

[Desert Kris]

Thank you for that, it is exactly what I was wondering about. Now I'm intrigued about Dillard's first three novels, and will play the long game to build into The Lost Years. I don't think I would have worried about two books with similar ideas going on, but I will make use of your evaluation of Bloodthirst and Dreadnaught to give them space apart from each other. It should work out that way anyway, I'm planning on jumping forward to Dreadnaught!, it and Yesterday's Son are the next two I'm planning on tackling. Dillard's books I'll probably read with other books slotted between them anyway (not to mention that I'll be reading non-Star Trek books in the mix as well), so Bloodthirst and Dreadnaught will have plenty of space between each other. Your post is exactly what I was hoping for!

 

[Tuskin38]

Are there any books that deal with Flint the Immortal post-TOS outside of Immortal Coil and Cold Equations?

 

[Christopher]

Are there any books that deal with Flint the Immortal post-TOS outside of Immortal Coil and Cold Equations?

He appears in The Eugenics Wars, Book 1; in "The Immortality Blues" in Strange New Worlds 09; and in my own Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic. Outside the current novel continuity, he appears in The Cry of the Onlies and Federation. And apparently the IDW Comics Star Trek/Legion of Super Heroes crossover portrays him and DC's immortal villain Vandal Savage as alternate versions of one another.

 

[Tuskin38]

Thanks!

I had forgotten he appeared in Uncertain logic.

 

[JD]

He appears in The Eugenics Wars, Book 1; in "The Immortality Blues" in Strange New Worlds 09; and in my own Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic. Outside the current novel continuity, he appears in The Cry of the Onlies and Federation. And apparently the IDW Comics Star Trek/Legion of Super Heroes crossover portrays him and DC's immortal villain Vandal Savage as alternate versions of one another.

Where is he is Eugenics Wars Bk 1? I'm reading that right now, but I don't think I've come across him yet.

 

[Idran]

Where is he is Eugenics Wars Bk 1? I'm reading that right now, but I don't think I've come across him yet.

You'll know for sure when you run into him, there won't be any question to it.

 

[JD]

Ok, I wasn't sure, because sometimes those kinds of appearances are small, subtle, cameos that I don't always pick up on.

 

[Riverside2233]

I openly admit to being new to the Star Trek universe. I have obviously seen some of the movies in passing, but I recently discovered my inner sci-fi nerd. I am going to start watching TOS and all of the series in order as much as I can, but I'm also a huge reader and I want to read FROM THE BEGINNING.

How far back should I go? Where can I find the most comprehensive list of literature going all the way back to Mission to Horatius? I really appreciate this thread and I'm just looking for where to begin.

 

[ryan123450]

This is everything from Pocket Books.

http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/complete-pocket-books-novel-list.php

And you can figure out the few previous publishers by clicking around here.

http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/story-count.php

Good luck and happy reading. You've definitely found a great community to help with this new hobby.

 

[Riverside2233]

This is everything from Pocket Books.

http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/complete-pocket-books-novel-list.php

And you can figure out the few previous publishers by clicking around here.

http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/story-count.php

Good luck and happy reading. You've definitely found a great community to help with this new hobby.

Much appreciated! Great site.

 

[ryan123450]

Much appreciated! Great site.

Thanks! I wish I had time to make it even better.

 

[Riverside2233]

Thanks! I wish I had time to make it even better.

I didn't know where to look for pretty comprehensive lists and this is extremely helpful with the breakdown. I was told to not worry so much about the Bantam books but focus on Pocket and just having everything broken down is great.

 

[Thrawn]

Also, this is a list of all the novels by publication date that was just recently made by dstyer in another thread:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1owZ6wp3weoioIPKkd7H-HtkeFQPbVuqDK11-DHBggF0/edit#gid=0

 

[Riverside2233]

Also, this is a list of all the novels by publication date that was just recently made by dstyer in another thread:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1owZ6wp3weoioIPKkd7H-HtkeFQPbVuqDK11-DHBggF0/edit#gid=0

Awesome. Thank you!

 

[Vnix]

I would suggest following the series and films first then get yourself immersed in the relaunch novels. Don't know the TOS novels myself, they're supposed to be good or so I am told, but don't care much that era.

 

[Andrews]

My local second-hand bookstore is closing and I purchased a bunch of books to give them last minute business. Are these books any good? I generally pick through them, but are there any standouts here?

Star Trek DS9:
Warped
Bloodletter
Warchild
Antimatter
Devil in the Sky
Station Rage
Objective Bajor
The Heart of the Warrior
Saratoga
Mission Gamma

I also picked up Star Trek: The Lost Years and Voyager: Incident at Arbuk, but those are on the backburner.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I remember most of them being decent but not necessarily great. The exception here being Warped, which was so bad I couldn't even finish it. And I tried 3 times. These books were pretty much almost all published when the show was still on the air, which limited storytelling options.

Mission Gamma is a four book series set in the Deep Space Nine relaunch era, which expands the story beyond the end of the show. You may be lost without reading the previous books of the relaunch era.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I remember most of them being decent but not necessarily great. The exception here being Warped, which was so bad I couldn't even finish it. And I tried 3 times. These books were pretty much almost all published when the show was still on the air, which limited storytelling options.

Mission Gamma is a four book series set in the Deep Space Nine relaunch era, which expands the story beyond the end of the show. You may be lost without reading the previous books of the relaunch era.

 

[JD]

It's also worth keeping in mind that Mission Gamma was a 4 book miniseries, which also got an omnibus with just the first two, so if you only got one book you only have either 1/2 or 1/4 quarter of the entire miniseries.