Well this question is gonna take some time to contemplate. Here are my thoughts and ramblings off the top of my head of veterans who I really tend to buy quite a few of their works in Trek and enjoy them as well:
Howard Wienstien (sp?)Star Trek: #4 Covenant of the Crown is one of my personal Favorites on planet adventure stories ever, TNG #6 Power Hungry liked the message of that one. #14 exiles too,
Johnny Vornholt always had so many fun adventures: TNG 16 Contamination, TNG YA 4 Capture the Flag, First Contact (YA Edition) TNG #39 Rogue Saucer, Genesis Force, Deep Space Nine #8 AntImatter (Sisko approving of Dax's breasts in her see thru material is so funny the way its written -as he's had a thing for his friend eventually ends up using her in the Mirror Universe to further his mission, but he so took advantage of her- this hadn't happened yet at the time this was written.) reading Star Trek #61 Sanctuary now..
Christopher L Bennett loved the TNG Lost Era w/ a un-bald space suited Picard The Buried Age archeology love interest one, Greater than the Sum he wrote I think too. Liked that one very much too. Elfinki was fun. Chowuerdy and Wharf. Like The Struggle Within recently read that- and plus on my list is ExMAchina one I have high expectations for.
David Mack - never disliked anything he's done. RISE LIKE LIONS is a favorite. Destiny, Harbinger (VAN), and TYPHON PACT Ceremony of Losses(Deep Space9), TP Zero Sum Game is neat for Julian, continues the Typhon Pact arc, develops his character more. Liked it more on the 2nd read. MU Sorrows of the Empire 5 stars. Maybe of my current top 3.
Diane Carey- a couple forgotten favs TNG #1: Ghost Ship, DS9 #13: Station Rage - can be a little over my head w the nautical terms at times TOS 31Battlestations! and the first one 29 TOS Dreadnought ! TNG Ship of the Line is pushing the limits at times, fun ,but not one of my favs by her tho..at least Frasier's head on the cover in the ugly grey uniform will sell 10 more books or so. Personally I like the art for Ghost Ship as the character's faces are a little off, a little shorter and fatter for Data and Bill Shaving Cream Riker than they ended up being later. Plus that odd ship in background...is that the USSR vessel the ghost ship from 1995 in space (who knows what nuclear ships in 95 were gonna look like?)
MArtin and Mangles- All the fine Enterprise works. Last Full Measure, Good that Men Do, Kobayashi Maru. Even the Romulan war by Martin I dug. Poor Tucker, lives his life as a crumby Romulan. Section 31 novel The Next Generation (post Generations) Rogue was neat. I liked learning more about Hawk. Keru was a character that stuck around too, didn't he show up here the first time? Plus I seem to recall some works in Batman I enjoyed at some point.
Diane Duane wrote the wonderful STAR TREK #13 Wounded Sky right in between TMP and TWOK. I like the glass alien and how Kirk looked at the new style of uniforms and picked out a yellow one today- cause he can wear whatever the hell color he wants- just as Decker shows he can do too as seen on the box of the VHS (Special Longer Version) of TMP., Wounded Sky might be my all time favorite novel. There are a few I say that about- but this one is the Star Trek I enjoy who are we, where are we going as a people, what's out there, different levels of existence, then unknown..exploring the concept of god and our understanding of it....love and truth so much going on in this one. Plus trippy visuals that remind me of my dreams. The writing that can create the images I saw in my mind hopefully can be just as gnarly for other readers, too! Dark Mirror was fun and only TNG crossover to the MU for the 90s, that Troi was mean as a bean. Rhinnasu books 1 My Enemy, My Ally I loved. The Romulan Way w Peter M. the english fellow was enjoyable too. I think they are married.
Jean Lorrah - The Next Generation epic #4 Survivors (the life and death of Yar and Dare), and The 1st Star Trek: The Next Generation GIANT NOVEL :Metamorphosis where Data gets his fondest wish- to be human. I'll never forget that tagline as a child and being like wtf...if that happens in season 2 then how can he still be a robot droid in the show later....see Schofield entry below for more on child like thinking patterns of this writer....Star Trek 20Vulcan Academy Murders, Star Trek 38 IDIC Epidemic always like these- remind me of each other somehow, its been a while- 15 years or so but i know they were engaging.
Gregg Cox is always....4-5 stars TNG 38 Dragons Honor (W Johnson), The Rise and Fall of Kahn Noonien Singh Pts. 1 n 2 books, To Reign in Hell..The Exile of Kahn, The Rings of Time was fun, VOYAGER The Black Shore (I liked and a rarely think VGR novels were any better than average at best not counting the newest relaunch which is ok by Beyer)
These are just off the top my head so many.......wonderful authors, memories. Many more book memories than TV or just as many in my head, thanks to all of em. Plus all the ones I didn't put on this small list.
Mike Friedman.- TNG Reunion hardcover I enjoyed the characters and murder mystery , TNG Death in Winter was a nice premiere. TNG YA The Secret of the Lizard People is a cool tribute t(o the Hardy Boys. Other I read...sorta have love/hate for the XMen/ TNG Planet X, seems sorta quickly put together...Plus I loved him for all his work on the DC Comics Series Star Trek:The NExt Generation along with Bob Greenberger. MCCoy book Shadows of the Sun I read on vacation in the early 90s at the campground at Busch Gardens Virgina. Good memories.
Peter David: comic-ie book @ times...TNG GIANT NOVEL Vendetta ,TNG #1O Rock in a Hard Place, TNG Hardcover/GIANT NOVEL QSquared, TNG 18 Q inLAw, TNG #5 Strike Zone and first original Deep Space Nine novel #2 The Siege- so dead on for the characters and really was like looking into a Crystal Ball when he wrote Meta's character. Star Trek 57: The Rift was a great adventure featuring another early Enterprise captain besides Kirk. Cool visuals I got from this one. I liked PD's earlier work before it went over the top and ate Pluto. New Frontier is okay if I'm in the mood for short sentences Damns, Hell. Gods. and Eppy's. and action hero Trek. Oh and my Gf liked how in Imzadi it mentions something to the effect of Troi looking down at Riker and he was 'enormous'. I don't recall that particular line but she seemed to really like that description of Bill Riker.
JM Dillard: Bloodthirst was very VERY enjoyable -if a little dark, The LOst Years Giant Novel/Hardcover was super cool, I think this 1st of the series is perhaps the best. Star Trek VII: Generations, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Her movie tie ins add a lot to the films. Mindshadow is one I am going to re read soon because its been so long.TNG #40 Possession was one w/ OMalley that was really different that I got one Spring in like or 96 and was really surprised by how much I did like it. Lost Years: Recovery was very good as well.
Then my 2nd level favs:
Jeffry Lang- Star Trek The Next Generation #64 IMMORTAL COIL one my fav novels ever. He's on the list simpply for the complexity and interweving of characters into a compelling tale that makes sense and is interesting, and most importantly to these books - its a fun adventure.
Mr. Dafyid ab Hugh (sp?) TNG #33 Balance of Power- Wil Wheaton back as the Cadet Cracker and The Ferengi Monk was it or Tunk being goofballs- then it got serious very fun read. Plus Deep Space #22 Vengeance and Deep Space #5 Fallen Heroes rocked.
DWS KKR/"Sandy Schofield" -Deep Space Nine #4 The Big Game- I thought the series would end because of what happened in the book- as a child of 11 or 12 I just couldn't believe all this (seemingly) important stuff happens off screen! The space station was about to blow up! Riker was there too, I felt I was so lucky the library had this book- I knew all about this important trek event and nobody else did, cause it was a brand new book. loved it as a kid. I was also before I figured out that in the end every book had to be okay. Deep Space Nine #14 The Long Nite childhood memories too. I really don't have more attachment to it other than tho. TNG #42 INVASION! #2 The Soldiers of Fear was a good read. Voyager #2 The Escape was despite being based on almost nothing at the time, read it in the summer of 95 as a 12 yr old punk.
Gene DeWeeise: TNG #2 Peacekeepers, Engines of Destiny and TNG #36 Into the Nebula (the TNG book that went up tp 599 from 550 in price and was no longer popped out on the cover sorta pissed me off as a kid)- all come to mind. 2, and 36 good messages. Engines was just sorta a small roller coaster like a Wilde Maus.
Vonda MciItyre- ENTERPRISE the 1st Adventure was so cool, seem to recall a couple other TOS books I liked bc her name is still in my mind
S. D. Perry: Deep Space Nine: Rising Son is all time tops. Avatar also grand, but wish it was one book instead of 2 since it felt like 1 book cut in half. Inception was a nice easy TOS read w Carol Marcus.
Una McCormack- Deep Space Nine: Hollow Men is a classic based on a classic, among other works of hers I enjoyed in Ds9 relaunch
So I guess you can say I love em all to some extent!
Oh I have to vote.
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