Underrated / hidden gems

[Turbo]

TNG: Rogue Saucer by John Vornholt was one I quite enjoyed, but it seems to get no love (at least no mentions) around here.

 

[ronny]

For me it is "The Case of the Colonist`s Corpse". I was browsing in a book shop and it was an impulse buy I can`t explain, maybe it had something to do with the eye catching, interesting cover. I didn`t read it for a very long time but eventually I gave the book a try without expecting much - and to my surprise, I loved it!

I am still regretting it that it is the only book of its kind.

I loved this book too. I like Perry Mason a lot and this followed the formula pretty well. You have a guy who seems to be the most hated person on the planet getting killed, a slam dunk case until the lawyer makes someone confess based on flimsy evidence and strong cross examination and then an epilogue where he explains how he figured it all out.

Other books that don't get a lot of love I like are the original The Kobayashi Maru and Timetrap.

 

[KRAD]

and P.S.: Sarek by A.C. Crispen is definitely an underrated hidden gem.

I really don't think a book that spent several weeks on the New York Times hardcover best-seller list qualifies as an underrated hidden anything.

I would say the entire SCE line. There are a few, like Wildfire, that have risen above the rest to the attention of a wider audience, but as a whole, I think it deserves a lot more love.

I agree, for obvious reasons. In particular, I was pleased with the very wide variety of types of tales that we were able to tell within the not-nearly-so-limiting-as-you-think premise of a ship full of engineers.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

I second all of the SCE stuff.

I really enjoyed DS9 "Times Enemy" the 3rd part of the Invasion crossover. I didn't really care for the rest of Invasion, but Times Enemy really worked for me.

 

[Dayton Ward]

In addition to the SCE/CoE line, I'd like to throw in a vote for Mere Anarchy and Slings and Arrows, which I don't think got the exposure they deserved due to a general reluctance to check out the e-Book format. So, I'm looking forward to seeing responses (good, bad, whatever), once MA hits print in a couple of months.

While I obviously stand in support of S&A because of the storylines and the folks responsible for pulling it all together, I'm particularly fond of MA, owing in no small part to the absolutely wonderful time I had collaborating with Keith and the other writers. Regardless of what folks might think of the finished product, it gave me a chance to work with Howie Frikkin' Weinstein, which was well worth the price of admission.

 

[JD]

I agree, for obvious reasons. In particular, I was pleased with the very wide variety of types of tales that we were able to tell within the not-nearly-so-limiting-as-you-think premise of a ship full of engineers.

I've still only read 4 or 5 of the novellas, but I have read through all of the descriptions several times, and I was also pretty impressed with the variety of stories. Was the variety planned from the start, or did it just happen that way as you approved stories?

 

[KRAD]

^ When you're doing a monthly series, you really want to avoid repetition.

 

[foravalon]

and P.S.: Sarek by A.C. Crispen is definitely an underrated hidden gem.

I really don't think a book that spent several weeks on the New York Times hardcover best-seller list qualifies as an underrated hidden anything.

hahaha, well, when you put it that way I can see your point.



And actually I've just finished with the amazing "Breakdowns" SCE collection and am currently barreling ahead. I want to give a huge shout out to this series as well and I hope they find their way back into the publishing lineup soon.

 

[KRAD]

^ Thanks!

 

[Therin of Andor]

due to a general reluctance to check out the e-Book format.

Had I never fallen behind, I would have been keeping pace with all the eBooks, but the print copies that take up room in unread piles all over my house take precedence. The sweeping TOS story arc of Mere Anarchy sounds excellent.

http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Mere_Anarchy

One day...

 

[Rosalind]

The sweeping TOS story arc of Mere Anarchy sounds excellent.

oh, it is excellent. and so was Slings and Arrows

One day...

well, MA is coming early this year in dead tree format.

 

[Therin of Andor]

MA is coming early this year in dead tree format.

Oh yes, I know, and that'll definitely help it find a more likely position on the piles.

 

[Alslayer]

I agree with everyone else about SCE. It would be nice to have a normal novel starring the SCE crew. I loved having a new story every month. Ahh the good old days.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Chalk up another fan of both Fallen Heroes and Time's Enemy. You can read the latter without having read any of the Invasion! books--it's pretty disconnected from that storyline.

Since it has been openly contradicted by canon, it seems like everyone forgot about Dark Mirror, although it was quite good and entertaining. Imbalance (TNG #22) was memorable for exploring the Jarada with considerable depth. I also really liked Grounded (#25).

I read most of the numbered TNG books up until #41, I believe, and enjoyed all those, plus The Romulan Prize (#26) which was brought up recently.

 

[Stevil2001]

I've always felt like Barbara Hambly's later Trek novels were overshadowed by the Ishmael "controversy"-- Ghost-Walker and Crossroad are two spooky, engaging stories with some out-there ideas that nonetheless work. And she is part of that small pantheon of authors who get the five-year-mission Captain Kirk absolutely perfect.