Numbered Recommendations?

[BruntFCA]

I am looking to check out some of the numbered TNG, DS9, and VOY books but I am not sure where to begin. The only numbered book I have is TNG Q-in-law. So what are some numbered books worth checking out and it would be awesome if you could include a brief summery, thanks.

Also I am just looking for TNG-DS9-VOY recommendations.

 

[BritishSeaPower]

Immortal Coil which technically is and is not numbered is one of my favorites. The Q Continuum series is really good as well, if perhaps a tad longer than it needs to be. Admittedly I haven't read a ton of Numbered novels for TNG, and really only anything that was in the Post-Generations era.

 

[Mr. Domino]

I find it immensely funny that the novels were numbered back when they had zero continuity, and were jumping around in the timeline with each book, and now that they're following a progression, there's no numbering at all, and you're just supposed to know.

Anyways, on topic,

TNG # 5: Strike Zone - Peter David's first Trek novel, and, while not his best, still better than most everyone else can do. I'm a shameless David fanboy.

TNG # 7: Masks - While it didn't quite live up to its premise, its got an interesting enough premise that I was willing to forgive it not quite following through as well.

TNG # 18: Q-in-Law - Arguably Peter David's best Trekbook. Pairing Q and Lwaxana was sheer genius, and as an added bonus, we get a Wesley subplot that's actually entertaining, and manages to make the character sympathetic!

DS9 # 11: Devil in the Sky - Hortas - wait for it - IN SPAAAAAAAAACE!!! Need I say more?

Really, a lot of the best stuff from the numbered period was actually the unnumbered books - the "giant novels" and hardcovers. Vendetta, Imzadi, Reunion, Dark Mirror, Q-Squared, etc.

 

[Christopher]

I find it immensely funny that the novels were numbered back when they had zero continuity...

Well, not entirely. The numbering began with The Final Reflection, and the emergence of the '80s novel continuity began around the same time. It was a loose, gradually evolving continuity and didn't encompass every book, and there certainly wasn't a strict chronological order to them; but it was around for at least the first 6-7 of the 18 years during which the novels were numbered.

 

[zarkon]

Some of my favourite numbered ones:

TNG

#5 Strike Zone
- very light most of the time, but hilarious with it. Wesley is used well(much better then the tv writers normally managed).
#7 Masks
-Away mission on a human colony which eschewed modern technology and cut itself off from earth and ended up going back to a sort of feudal system - but with an interesting twist guided by some of the original colonists. The thing I like most about this book is how well the world and its people is put together. Characterisation(mostly Picard) can possibly feel a bit off since this was a very early novel, but as someone reminded me, they actually started pulling him in that direction a lot later on, so maybe it's a bit prescient...
#10 A Rock and a Hard Place
- Delves a bit into Riker's past as he goes on leave to help a friend. The other half of the story is his replacement, who is the star of this story. Don't want to go into him as that's the best part of the book.
#18 Q-in-law
-Q, Lwaxana Troi, peter david. probably enough said.
#28 Here there be dragons
-fun story about feudal humans transplanted to a planet with giant dinosaurs.
#37 The Last Stand
- interesting story about a really long held grudge.
#45 Intellivore
- feels like a mystery where the crew are slowly trying to find a creeping horror. the tension in this book amps up very well through to the conclusion. A really good trek book that I feel sometimes gets a bit overlooked.
#47-49 Q Continuum trilogy
- fun trilogy with a lot of good q/picard interaction, plus a great explanation for a long standing trek mystery
#61 Diplomatic Implausibility
- Worf tries out his diplomatic muscles for the first time.

DS9

#23 The 34th Rule
-Brilliant book focusing on quark and how Ferengi tick.
#27 A Stitch in time
-Equally brilliant book focused on Garak, his past and his post ds9 future.

 

[Therin of Andor]

and you're just supposed to know.

You only have to check the publication date inside each book and there's your reading order for each series. In the days of hardcovers, the only twist was, that if you had a MMPB edition of a first-released-in-hardcover/trade, the date would be about a year later than it should be for reading order.

 

[Sci]

I find it immensely funny that the novels were numbered back when they had zero continuity, and were jumping around in the timeline with each book, and now that they're following a progression, there's no numbering at all, and you're just supposed to know.

Well, no, 'cos nowadays, each book is supposed to be written so you can jump onboard at any point without needing to have read prior novels.

* * *

My recs for the old numbered (and occasional unnumbered) books...

TOS

• #16: The Final Reflection by John M. Ford (1984)
• #18: My Enemy, My Ally by Diane Duane (1984; later to retroactively become known as Rihannsu, Book One; reprinted in Rihannsu: The Bloodwing Voyages in 2007)
• #25: Dwellers in the Crucible by Margaret Wander Bonanno (1985)
• Strangers From the Sky by Margaret Wander Bonanno (1987; unnumbered "giant novel")
• #35: The Romulan Way by Diane Duane and Peter Morwood (1987; Rihannsu, Book Two; also later reprinted in Bloodwing Voyages)
• #42: Memory Prime by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens (1988)
• #44: Vulcan's Glory by D.C. Fontana (1989)
• Prime Directive by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens (1990; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• #57: The Rift by Peter David (1991)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country by J.M. Dillard (1991; unnumbered film novelization)
• Sarek by A.C. Crispin (1994; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• Federation by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens (1994; unnumbered "giant" crossover novel)
• #76: The Captain's Daughter by Peter David (1995)
• #84: Assignment: Eternity by Greg Cox (1998)
• #95: Rihannsu, Book Three: Swordhunt by Diane Duane (2000; reprinted in Bloodwing Voyages)
• #96: Rihannsu, Book Four: Honor Blade by Diane Duane (2000; reprinted in Bloodwing Voyages)
• The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Sighn, Books One & Two by Greg Cox (2001, 2002; unnumbered hardcover novels)
• #97: In the Name of Honor by Dayton Ward (2001; final numbered TOS novel)

TNG

• Vendetta by Peter David (1991; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• #18: Q-in-Law by Peter David (1991)
• Imzadi by Peter David (1992; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• Dark Mirror (1993; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• Q-Squared by Peter David (1994; unnumbered "giant" novel)
• Star Trek: First Contact by J.M. Dillard (1996; unnumbered film novelization)
• The Best and the Brightest by Susan Wright (1998; unnumbered novel)
• #47: The Q Continuum, Book One: Q-Space by Greg Cox (1998)
• #48: The Q Continuum, Book Two: Q-Zone by Greg Cox (1998)
• #49: The Q Continuum, Book Three: Q-Strike by Greg Cox (1998)
• #61: Diplomatic Implausibility by Keith R.A. DeCandido (2001)

DSN

• Far Beyond the Stars by Steve Barnes (1998; unnumbered episode novelization--this one is absolutely wonderful and I cannot recommend it highly enough)
• #23: The 34th Rule by Armin Shimmerman & David R. George III
• Millennium trilogy (The Fall of Terok Nor; The War of the Prophets; Inferno by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens (2000; unnumbered novels)
• #27: A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson (2000; final numbered novel)

And, of course, my all-time favorite Star Trek novel ever:

• Spock's World by Diane Duane (1988; unnumbered "giant" novel)