Spoilers SNW: The High Country by John Jackson Miller Review Thread
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Finished reading this one today: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The High Country by John Jackson Miller (2023).
The first tie-in novel under the banner of the current Paramount+ streaming service (although I just read another novel by Miller featuring the three lead characters that he had written previously, the Star Trek: Discovery novel, The Enterprise War (2019). And the third Star Trek tie-in novel in general written by Miller that I’ve read about over the past year, the third (and first read in my little John Jackson Miller triple play), Star Trek: Picard—Rogue Elements (2021).
I liked The High Country. A bit better than The Enterprise War but not as much as I liked Rogue Elements.
The High Country benefited from my reading it now, just a year after it came out, and also from Miller’s being able to use characters fron the SNW streaming series—Uhura, Hemmer, La’an, Dr. M’benga, Garcia, and Mitchell—that weren’t part of Pike’s crew during Star Trek: Discovery season two. And what I mean by it benefiting from the timing of my reading it is that I read The Enterprise War four years after it first came out, when all we’d seen of Pike, Una, and Spock had been what was on Discovery. Me reading it after having seen Strange New Worlds seasons one and two, the characters all seemed a bit “off” to me (because their mannerisms and personalities have developed some since moving to their own series).
One thing that maybe made me enjoy this one a bit less was my reading it back to back with The Enterprise War, because both books do the same particular one thing, the sudden and unexpected splitting up the characters so that they are working on their own to figure out their new surroundings and to try to reunite with each other.
In Enterprise War, Pike, Spock, and Una (Number One) find themselves separated from each other in a war between aliens living in an unexplored nebula. In The High Country, Pike, Una, Spock, and Uhura are separated when their shuttle goes down over a planet they are investigating and the transporter sends them to four different locations. Unsure if the other members of their party have even survived, they discover they have become stranded on a planet where absolutely no electricity based technology will work and where the settlements of people are all transplants from other worlds moved there hundreds of years ago without their consent (tying into the events of an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise).
Having read three of Miller’s Star Trek books back to back, I find that often I become a bit restless through the first two thirds of his books, in particular the middle section. But that he generally has really strong endings.
I desperately wanted to be able to give this a three and a half out of five stars on GoodReads, but they don’t allow half stars. It’s definitely better than three stars, so I ended up “rounding it up” to four stars.
David Young
The first tie-in novel under the banner of the current Paramount+ streaming service (although I just read another novel by Miller featuring the three lead characters that he had written previously, the Star Trek: Discovery novel, The Enterprise War (2019). And the third Star Trek tie-in novel in general written by Miller that I’ve read about over the past year, the third (and first read in my little John Jackson Miller triple play), Star Trek: Picard—Rogue Elements (2021).
I liked The High Country. A bit better than The Enterprise War but not as much as I liked Rogue Elements.
The High Country benefited from my reading it now, just a year after it came out, and also from Miller’s being able to use characters fron the SNW streaming series—Uhura, Hemmer, La’an, Dr. M’benga, Garcia, and Mitchell—that weren’t part of Pike’s crew during Star Trek: Discovery season two. And what I mean by it benefiting from the timing of my reading it is that I read The Enterprise War four years after it first came out, when all we’d seen of Pike, Una, and Spock had been what was on Discovery. Me reading it after having seen Strange New Worlds seasons one and two, the characters all seemed a bit “off” to me (because their mannerisms and personalities have developed some since moving to their own series).
One thing that maybe made me enjoy this one a bit less was my reading it back to back with The Enterprise War, because both books do the same particular one thing, the sudden and unexpected splitting up the characters so that they are working on their own to figure out their new surroundings and to try to reunite with each other.
In Enterprise War, Pike, Spock, and Una (Number One) find themselves separated from each other in a war between aliens living in an unexplored nebula. In The High Country, Pike, Una, Spock, and Uhura are separated when their shuttle goes down over a planet they are investigating and the transporter sends them to four different locations. Unsure if the other members of their party have even survived, they discover they have become stranded on a planet where absolutely no electricity based technology will work and where the settlements of people are all transplants from other worlds moved there hundreds of years ago without their consent (tying into the events of an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise).
Having read three of Miller’s Star Trek books back to back, I find that often I become a bit restless through the first two thirds of his books, in particular the middle section. But that he generally has really strong endings.
I desperately wanted to be able to give this a three and a half out of five stars on GoodReads, but they don’t allow half stars. It’s definitely better than three stars, so I ended up “rounding it up” to four stars.
David Young
I finished reading this on Saturday and I thought it was great. I always get a little nervous about the first tie-ins to a new series, but I though this did a great job with the characters, and the tone of the series.
I really liked all of the different combinations of cultures on Ephreska, and the whole western vibe of the stuff dealing with human settlement.
The introduction of Lila was a nice way to explore a little more of Pike's background, and I thought her story arc took some interesting twists and turns as it went on.
I really liked all of the different combinations of cultures on Ephreska, and the whole western vibe of the stuff dealing with human settlement.
The introduction of Lila was a nice way to explore a little more of Pike's background, and I thought her story arc took some interesting twists and turns as it went on.
I guess I’m really not the target audience for this one.
I found Lila (not sure on spelling, because I’m listening to the audio) to be a thoroughly despicable character. No redeeming characteristics at all, and I thought Pike came across as a bit of a dolt for not realizing how eeeeeevil she was. Because she was twirling her metaphorical mustache from practically the moment she was introduced.
I found Lila (not sure on spelling, because I’m listening to the audio) to be a thoroughly despicable character. No redeeming characteristics at all, and I thought Pike came across as a bit of a dolt for not realizing how eeeeeevil she was. Because she was twirling her metaphorical mustache from practically the moment she was introduced.
We tend to be more forgiving of people we think we know.
Now we need further Vulcan Navy adventures. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Federation_Naval_Patrol
Now we need further Vulcan Navy adventures. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Federation_Naval_Patrol
got this for my birthday a few months ago and it finally came up to read in my “reading que”.
I thought overall it was pretty good. Takes a bit to get going though. But once it really starts (around when Pike gets to town and finds everything of the Menders on fire) it was tough to put down. The sometimes super-short chapters did take some getting used to.
I thought overall it was pretty good. Takes a bit to get going though. But once it really starts (around when Pike gets to town and finds everything of the Menders on fire) it was tough to put down. The sometimes super-short chapters did take some getting used to.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! I wish we got more Strange New Worlds books!
We have, Asylum by Una McCormack came in November
Toward the Night by James Swallow comes out next month
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CXCNYFLX?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks
and Ring of Fire by David Mack comes out in August
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DJKDT2R2?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks
And if you read comics, there have been two miniseries so far, The Illyrian Enigma
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C956H46H?ref_=dbs_m_cmx_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
and The Scorpius Run
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CZ46Q1HV?ref_=dbs_m_cmx_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
they also just announced a third miniseries, The Seeds of Destruction will start releasing it's individual issues in August
I haven't read any of them yet, but I believe there have been several Strange New Worlds stories in the Explorer magazines and the books that collected it's short stories.
Toward the Night by James Swallow comes out next month
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CXCNYFLX?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks
and Ring of Fire by David Mack comes out in August
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DJKDT2R2?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks
And if you read comics, there have been two miniseries so far, The Illyrian Enigma
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C956H46H?ref_=dbs_m_cmx_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
and The Scorpius Run
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CZ46Q1HV?ref_=dbs_m_cmx_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks
they also just announced a third miniseries, The Seeds of Destruction will start releasing it's individual issues in August
I haven't read any of them yet, but I believe there have been several Strange New Worlds stories in the Explorer magazines and the books that collected it's short stories.
Next month needs to hurry up!
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