Descriptions for CLB's TOS: The Face of the Unknown and DTI: Time Lock

[JD]

The Trek Collective has posted descriptions for Christopher L. Bennett's next two Trek works, the TOS novel The Face of the Unknown, and the DTI novella Time Lock.

Continuing the milestone 50th anniversary celebration of Star Trek—a brand-new novel of The Original Series featuring James T. Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the USS Enterprise!

Investigating a series of violent raids by a mysterious predatory species, Captain James T. Kirk discovers that these events share a startling connection with the First Federation, a friendly but secretive civilization contacted early in the USS Enterprise’s five-year mission. Traveling to the First Federation in search of answers, the Enterprise suddenly comes under attack from these strange marauders. Seeking refuge, the starship finds its way to the true home of the First Federation, an astonishing collection of worlds hidden from the galaxy beyond. The inhabitants of this isolated realm are wary of outsiders, and some accuse Kirk and his crew for bringing the wrath of their ancient enemy down upon them. When an attempt to stave off disaster goes tragically wrong, Kirk is held fully accountable, and Commander Spock learns there are even deeper forces that threaten this civilization. If Kirk and Spock cannot convince the First Federation's leaders to overcome their fears, the resulting catastrophe could doom them all!

The dedicated agents of the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations have their work cut out for them protecting the course of history from the dangers of time travel. But the galaxy is littered with artifacts that, in the wrong hands, could threaten reality. One of the DTI's most crucial jobs is to track down these objects and lock them safely away in the Federation’s most secret and secure facility. As it happens, Agent Gariff Lucsly and his supervisor, DTI director Laarin Andos, are charged with handling a mysterious space-time portal device discovered by Starfleet. But this device turns out to be a Trojan horse, linking to a pocket dimension and a dangerous group of raiders determined to steal some of the most powerful temporal artifacts ever known...

 

[Plaristes]

Anyone know when The Face of the Unknown is set?

 

[Christopher]

Anyone know when The Face of the Unknown is set?

It's sometime between the end of The Original Series and the start of The Animated Series. I tried not to get more specific than that so as to leave room for other novels in the same vicinity (such as Greg Cox's Assignment: Eternity, which begins shortly after "Turnabout Intruder").

 

[Bibliomike]

I expect some creative descriptive tags of Balok's laughter! Looking forward to this one.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

About Time Lock:

Where's Dulmur?

 

[DimesDan]

I can't say either of those appeal.

 

[The Wormhole]

I expect some creative descriptive tags of Balok's laughter!

When I was a teenager, I could imitate Balok's laugh perfectly. Sadly, I'm out of practice now.

 

[Bibliomike]

When I was a teenager, I could imitate Balok's laugh perfectly. Sadly, I'm out of practice now.

Duly impressed!

 

[Idran]

About Time Lock:

Where's Dulmur?

He'll be there! From Christopher's blog:

(And don’t worry — Dulmur and other familiar characters will play key roles despite not being mentioned in the blurb.)

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Finally, the First Federation. Fantastic!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And now, the tranya.

 

[ClayinCA]

I can't say either of those appeal.

They both sound great to me (though I'd been hoping for a post-TMP setting from Christopher, I'll happily take any TOS I can get from him).

 

[Christopher]

They both sound great to me (though I'd been hoping for a post-TMP setting from Christopher, I'll happily take any TOS I can get from him).

My initial impulse was to go for post-TMP, but since this was the anniversary year, I was asked for a 5-year mission story.

 

[ryan123450]

Too bad. I would have loved to see you do another of those.

 

[Christopher]

Too bad. I would have loved too see you do another of those.

Well, there seems to be more interest these days in books set in the later movie era, like Greg Cox's post-STV stuff. So maybe there's hope.

 

[The Wormhole]

^^Not to mention there was also that pre-TMP novel Serpents in the Garden out only a couple of years ago.

 

[Leto_II]

Well, there seems to be more interest these days in books set in the later movie era, like Greg Cox's post-STV stuff. So maybe there's hope.

::crosses fingers::

::and also toes::

 

[Avro Arrow]

The Trek Collective has posted the cover for Time Lock, found here:

http://www.thetrekcollective.com/2016/08/book-bits-dti-and-prey-covers-and.html

Kinda generically bland? Actually, it sort of reminds me of something, but I can't exactly remember what.

 

[Jinn]

I really like it. Simple but cool.

 

[Christopher]

Well, the previous covers were also kind of abstract, and this one's based on an idea that's hard to visualize. Another clock face would've been a bit repetitive, even though this is a story for which a ticking clock would be appropriate...