Spoilers DSC: The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack Review Thread

[Avro Arrow]

Blurb:
An original novel based on the explosive new TV series Star Trek: Discovery!

Despite being an inexperienced Starfleet cadet, Sylvia Tilly became essential to the U.S.S. Discovery finding its way back home from the Mirror Universe. But how did she find that courage? From where did she get that steel? Who nurtured that spark of brilliance? The Way to the Stars recounts for fans everywhere the untold story of Tilly’s past.

It’s not easy being sixteen, especially when everyone expects great things from Tilly. It’s even harder when her mother and father are Federation luminaries, not to mention pressing her to attend one of the best schools that the Federation has to offer. Tilly wants to achieve great things—even though she hasn’t quite worked out how to do that or what it is she wants to do. But this year, everything will change for Tilly, as she about to embark upon the adventure of a lifetime—an adventure that will take her ever closer to the stars….

About the Author:
Una McCormack is the author of seven previous Star Trek novels: The Lotus Flower (part of The Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Hollow Men, The Never-Ending Sacrifice, Brinkmanship, The Missing, the New York Times bestseller The Fall: The Crimson Shadow, and Enigma Tales. She is also the author of three Doctor Who novels from BBC Books: The King’s Dragon, The Way Through the Woods, and Royal Blood. She has written numerous short stories and audio dramas. She lives in Cambridge, England, with her partner of many years, Matthew, and their daughter, Verity.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/bo...a-McCormack/Star-Trek-Discovery/9781982104757

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It sounds like people are starting to find copies of this, so it's time to get the review thread up!

 

[BuckBokaiLondonKings]

Got mine via Amazon last night! I’ll probably start it tomorrow.

 

[Ronald Held]

Looking to start it this weekend.

 

[Reanok]

Got my book yesterday. I'm looking forward to reading this book soon.

 

[Serin117]

Finished it on the day it came out.
Was a genuinely good novel.
At first I was ready to be frustrated at it being just another US/UK style rehash of 'teen goes to school' experience - but it killed that expectation rather happily, and was very focused on our beloved, most-relatable, Tilly and her journey to Starfleet.
Her parents, their story and all that... very, very relatable to me.
I also really loved Una's portrayal of Starfleet(along with the very first Aussie Captain!!!) as a group of idiot-savants exploring the galaxy and supporting each other in their endeavors and mishaps.
Actually can't get over Captain Yindi Holden! I've spent heaps of time wondering what kind of place my home'd be in the future, and what would become of our indigenous cultures by then.
...And there was Yindi, being almost exactly what I'd imagined. She's just great. Need more or her!

It felt like the first 'modern' novel. Tilly being so young was an in for Una to use some modern vernacular - add to that all the positivity and wholesome support everyone showed for one another. That building people up, rather than tearing them down.
For values of 'modern' anyway. Very 2018.

Una absolutely remains at the top of my list of fave authors. I hope she, and we, get to spend more time with young Tilly.
AND YINDI BLOODY HOLDEN!

 

[YubYubCommander]

Not quite 3/4 of the way through but I can already tell and voted accordingly that this was an Outstanding vote for me. The writing is wonderful. Una nails Tilly down perfectly. It’s nice to have a slower paced novel where there’s no giant crisis or disaster that the heroes have to rush off and face. It’s nice just to sit back and tell a tale about one of Starfleet’s.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

Oh man, I vowed to finish another book before I started this one but I went and read the Prologue it was so sweet. I can't wait to read it!

 

[Tuskin38]

heh, when I saw McCormack's name in the thread, it made me misread DSC as DS9.

I pre-ordered this last week but I'm still finishing the Saru novel.

 

[star trek]

Ah man, I was hoping for more voyager books.

 

[Greg Cox]

About a hundred pages in and enjoying it so far.

 

[Damian]

Still waiting for my copy. I'll start it once I finish reading Probe (an oldie but a goodie).

I'm a little over halfway watching Discovery for the first time. I will say when I first saw her I was like "You got to be kidding me". But I don't know, she grows on you after a while. I just saw the first mirror universe episode and despite her nervousness she got into character pretty quickly. I still love her line "...i'd cut your tongue out and use it to lick my boot". I couldn't help but laugh at that one.

 

[Stevil2001]

I finished it last night. I'll write a longer review later, but this is my favorite Discovery novel thus far.

(Do we know what the fifth one is yet?)

 

[Greg Cox]

Finished it this morning, when I should have been writing. Very enjoyable book.

 

[Reanok]

I've only had time to read a few chapters and like seeing Sylvia Tiily's choices to joining starfleet and being a diplomat certainly wasn't right for her.I really like her grand parents sticking up for her and her Dad Ian Tilly. And the complex relationship she has with Siobahn is well written in this book.

 

[David Weller]

(Do we know what the fifth one is yet?)

Nothing has been announced.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Finished this earlier, and really enjoyed it. Tilly is probably my favourite character in Discovery, and the book captured her character very well, I thought.

 

[Ronald Held]

14 percent in. Neutral at this point.

 

[Omega Particle]

Great book! My review went live on TrekCore this morning: http://trekcore.com/blog/2019/01/book-review-star-trek-discovery-the-way-to-the-stars/

 

[David cgc]

I enjoyed it. I was wondering if there was going to be any reference to the Stamets comic (which had a minor subplot of him ignoring fan-mail from Tilly for years), but it ended before she would've started corresponding with him. It definitely adds some context to Tilly, knowing her mother is a big-shot who was trying to groom her into her perfect successor, whether she wanted to or not (and also made her little comment about how mirror-Tilly was more like what mom would've liked, at least hair-wise, so much sadder). I also just rewatched the little scene in "Runaway" with her mother; I guess in the end she took kind of the wrong lesson from what happened in the book and decided Tilly was just delicate, and not that she was pushing herself to advance in the wrong direction.

 

[Reanok]

I finished reading the book and really liked it alot I voted Above average. This is my favorite Discovery novel .It's nice t have a character story where we get to find about Sylvia Tilly's background and her family. I hope Una will write more Star trek novels in the future .I always enjoy reading her books.