Should I read the "A Time to..." series?

[Therin of Andor]

I like hitting up thrift stores and giving Trek novels new life.

Me too, which is how I spent a great deal of 1980-1983, collecting up every Bantam (Corgi UK) and Ballantine/Del Rey (Corgi UK) ST book I didn't have, but all my Pocket Books are first editions.

 

[trekkerguy]

I like hitting up thrift stores and giving Trek novels new life.

Me too, which is how I spent a great deal of 1980-1983, collecting up every Bantam (Corgi UK) and Ballantine/Del Rey (Corgi UK) ST book I didn't have, but all my Pocket Books are first editions.

Well I obviously didn't get onboard with Trek novels till later
So I caught/catch some of the old but good Trek books in the
thrift shops. I like to buy anything recent new if still in print.

My first Trek novel(Peter David's Star Trek The Next Generation: Q Squared)
was a gift to me... by two different people about a year apart lol.
Yeah, I have two hard bound copies. But since then all my Peter David
novels have either been pre-ordered or bought the day of release.

 

[Snaploud]

On my Star Trek agenda:

Greater than the Sum
The Buried Age
The Terok Nor trilogy
Destiny trilogy
To Reign in Hell
DS9 Millenium trilogy
Klingon Empire
The last three "A Time to" books
Articles of the Federation
The first four Titan books
The rest of the first two DS9 relaunch omnibus editions

Update:

In the last ten days, I've read the following:

Greater than the Sum
The Buried Age
The DS9 Millenium trilogy
A Time to Kill

Here's how I would rank them:

1) The Buried Age 4/4
2) DS9 Millenium trilogy 4/4
^Both are now in my 'all-time favorites/top ten' trek pile, so it was a tough call putting one above the other. I may reverse the order upon later re-readings, but both deserve high praise.

3) Greater than the Sum 3/4
^This book really helped make up for Before Dishonor. It almost tempted me enough to start the Destiny trilogy, but I plan on delaying those books until after I catch up with a few earlier trek novels (the last two 'A Time To...' books, "Articles of the Federation," and at least a couple of the Titan novels (if not all four).

4) A Time to Kill 3/4

^lots of fun political intrigue touched off with some nice Riker/Troi and Worf/Martok moments (definitely helping me look forward to what Mack can do with the Destiny trilogy)

I'm adding to my Trek agenda Q&A, the latest Mirror Universe omnibus, and The Lost Tales: Serpents Among the Ruins. Star Trek Excelsior: Forged in Fire is on my 'maybe' list, but it's not yet on the agenda.

 

[Paris]

^I just finished both of Mack's A Time To... books (Kill & Heal) based on the recommendations from this board, and I loved them. I'm just waiting for A Time for Peace, a Time for War to show up in the mail. Can't wait

It's a good idea waiting to read Destiny, especially when your cue has AotF, and the Titan books in it. You won't be sorry. Enjoy!

 

[Snaploud]

Reading "A Time to Heal" is reminding me all over again why I think Data deserved more opportunities at command.

 

[Paris]

Reading "A Time to Heal" is reminding me all over again why I think Data deserved more opportunities at command.

Agreed. Data was a Lt.Cmdr. the whole time. He probably would have had his own ship by the time he died if he had the ambition. It seems as though he wasn't trusted enough by Starfleet, which doesn't make sense to me. Why did they even promote him to second officer on the flag ship if command was going to be out of his reach? Did they ever offer him a post as a first officer on any other ship? I know they didn't in the series, but does anyone know if it happened in any of the books?

 

[Snaploud]

I just finished A Time to Heal. Riker really hit the nail on the head at the end (regarding Data). Another 3/4, by the way.

One big point in David Mack's favor: he just picked up my interest in the Titan novels. Unfortunately, he also picked up my interest in Data's command potential, so (given Nemesis) it's a bit bitter-sweet.

 

[Elemental]

Snaploud, I'd say that's a pretty phenomenal list you've got there. Just about every single one of those books I'd rate a 9 or a 10 out of 10. (The only one on your list I really didn't like was Titan: The Red King, and opinions there vary.)

It's really fantastic how much good treklit there is these days, isn't it?

argggh.. don't tell me that; that's the book I'm getting ready to start! I finished Taking Wing today and I actually liked it quite well. The ending left me looking forward to The Red King. What didn't you like about it?

This is the one I am on as well and am determined to enjoy it!

 

[Paris]

Snaploud, I'd say that's a pretty phenomenal list you've got there. Just about every single one of those books I'd rate a 9 or a 10 out of 10. (The only one on your list I really didn't like was Titan: The Red King, and opinions there vary.)

It's really fantastic how much good treklit there is these days, isn't it?

argggh.. don't tell me that; that's the book I'm getting ready to start! I finished Taking Wing today and I actually liked it quite well. The ending left me looking forward to The Red King. What didn't you like about it?

This is the one I am on as well and am determined to enjoy it!

If you really want to enjoy The Red King, I suggest that yow read The Sundered by Martin & Mangels. It's the first book in The Lost Era series, and it's the perfect background piece for what happens in TRK.

 

[chris32482]

If you really want to enjoy The Red King, I suggest that yow read The Sundered by Martin & Mangels. It's the first book in The Lost Era series, and it's the perfect background piece for what happens in TRK.

Too late, I already finished The Red King. I enjoyed it very much, though. I also finished Orion's Hounds, which was great as well. I'm reading Sword of Damocles now, then it's on to Resistance. I hope it's not as bad as everybody says...

 

[Snaploud]

I just finished A Time to Heal. Riker really hit the nail on the head at the end (regarding Data). Another 3/4, by the way.

A Time for War, A Time for Peace--3.25/4--KRAD definitely provided a nice, comfortable ending to the series. As a political junkie, I'm really looking forward to Articles of the Federation. Though, part of me wants to read the first Titan book first (as the last couple books in this series really whetted the appetite for some Captain Riker goodness).

 

[JD]

^That's actually a pretty good idea, because at least one plot thread from the first (two?) Titan book(s) is finished up in AotF.

 

[Snaploud]

^That's actually a pretty good idea, because at least one plot thread from the first (two?) Titan book(s) is finished up in AotF.

Okay, I'll start with Titan #1. Does anybody else think Titan #2 might be helpful for AotF?

 

[JD]

Trust me, once you finish #1 you're gonna want to read #2.

 

[Snaploud]

Titan #1: 3/4 (decent novel but took a very long time to read--an indication that I was stopping and starting due to low interest)

Star Trek: Articles of the Federation: 3.75/4 (definitely one of the better Trek novels I've read)

I think it's time for the Star Trek Destiny trilogy, but KRAD's Q&A and The Art of the Impossible (lost tales) have risen up near the top of my "to-be-read" list.

Tentative Order of To-Be-Read list:

Destiny Trilogy
A Singular Destiny
Strike Zone
The Art of the Impossible (Lost Tales)
Serpents Among the Ruins (Lost Tales)
Q&A
A Stitch in Time
Tales of the Dominion
Shards and Shadows

I also have several series of which I gradually plan to read:

Stargazer series (including re-reading Valiant and Reunion)
New Frontier series (including re-reading first several novels)
Crucible trilogy
Terok Nor trilogy
Star Trek Dark Passions duology
Deep Space Nine relaunch (of which I have only read the first few novels)
Finish the Noonian Singh novels with To Reign in Hell

I'm still waiting on a few of the stargazer novels (currently being shipped), and I have yet to order any of the new frontier novels numbered 12 and onward.

I'll reconsider reading Titan #2-4 later. I also picked up the first in the Vanguard series, but it may be a while before I get to it. My to-be-read list should already be enough to keep me busy for months.

 

[Paris]

Titan #1: 3/4 (decent novel but took a very long time to read--an indication that I was stopping and starting due to low interest)

Star Trek: Articles of the Federation: 3.75/4 (definitely one of the better Trek novels I've read)

I think it's time for the Star Trek Destiny trilogy, but KRAD's Q&A and The Art of the Impossible (lost tales) have risen up near the top of my "to-be-read" list.

Tentative Order of To-Be-Read list:

Destiny Trilogy
A Singular Destiny
Strike Zone
The Art of the Impossible (Lost Tales)
Serpents Among the Ruins (Lost Tales)
Q&A
A Stitch in Time
Tales of the Dominion
Shards and Shadows

I also have several series of which I gradually plan to read:

Stargazer series (including re-reading Valiant and Reunion)
New Frontier series (including re-reading first several novels)
Crucible trilogy
Terok Nor trilogy
Star Trek Dark Passions duology
Deep Space Nine relaunch (of which I have only read the first few novels)
Finish the Noonian Singh novels with To Reign in Hell

I'm still waiting on a few of the stargazer novels (currently being shipped), and I have yet to order any of the new frontier novels numbered 12 and onward.

I'll reconsider reading Titan #2-4 later. I also picked up the first in the Vanguard series, but it may be a while before I get to it. My to-be-read list should already be enough to keep me busy for months.

The Art of the Impossible was awesome, very highly recommended(especially if you want to read the Klingon Empire books after), and Q&A is the next thing i'm going to read after A Singular Destiny. Your to-read list is really close to mine! I also just picked up all of the Stargazer books. They are quick reads, but I've really enjoyed the ones i've read. I've finished the first three, and i'm going to space out the rest, as it seems that we won't be getting anymore for a few years at least. I've been with NF since it began, so i've experienced the delays! I hope you enjoy them when you get them. Getting #12-16, and another new one in March, won't be as painful a wait as the one that the rest of us experienced.

And do try and go back to Titan at some point. With the last two books, and another two books this year, the series has really hit its stride!

 

[JD]

Sounds like you've got a really good list there.

 

[Thrawn]

There's so much great Treklit these days; it's awesome to see these to-read lists as long and fascinating-looking as mine, but with so many different novels on them.

We're really lucky, as fans, to have so many consistently high quality series coming out.