Star Trek

When Una McCormack was selected to write the first tie-in novel for Star Trek: Picard, one could only imagine the pressure she must have felt. The Last Best Hope is a prequel to the TV series and tells the story of how the plan to evacuate Romulus went so wrong.

Spoilers ahead!

After seven long years stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Janeway brought her crew back to the little blue planet she, and so many of her crew, called home. And cut. Draw the curtains and clean the stage. Voyager is home. Of course, all good Trek geeks turn to the books to continue the events once the show ends. Thus, Voyager’s relaunch is here, and veteran author Christie Golden is in charge.

DNA thieves, Beverly Crusher’s maiden name and a few guest appearances from the USS Stargazer. Can author Michael Jan Friedman maneuver the Star Trek TNG books into this new era?

Spoilers ahead!

Riker finally gets that 4th pip and has left The Enterprise to captain The Titan. Can this book of new diverse characters find its feet and deliver a compelling read?

Spoilers ahead!

Star Trek Titan finally hits warp speed in this direct follow-up to book #1 Taking Wing. Launched into the far reaches of a satellite galaxy, can Riker steer his crew to safety?

Spoilers ahead!

Following on from the success of her season 1 prequel novel, The Last Best Hope, author Una McCormack returns to the world of Picard with Second Self — a new novel set between seasons 1 & 2 of the TV show. After several delays the novel has finally seen the light of day. So, was it worth the wait?

Spoilers ahead!

Join your favourite Federation political characters Jed Bartlet, CJ Cregg, Josh Lymen and grumpy old Toby Ziegler as they navigate the pitfalls and challenges of running a massive multi-planetary political juggernaut. Oh wait… is this The West Wing or Star Trek?

Spoilers ahead!

Now that the Dominion War is over, Starfleet can get back to good old exploration. Will Riker and his team of diverse Starfleet personnel must now face a band of space whalers, who aim their long harpoons at the poor old Space Jellies from TNG season 1 episode 1.

Spoilers ahead!

The Borg are back. But this time they are faster, meaner and more adaptable. Will their new queen ascend to the throne and doom Earth to assimilation?

Spoilers ahead!

When Q comes on the TV, I groan and think oh great this one is a Q episode… Can Keith R.A. DeCandido do the near-impossible and write a decent Q novel?

Spoilers ahead!

A year is a long time. That’s how long Michael Burnham was trapped in the 32nd century before Discovery and her crew finally emerged from the cosmic soup of space/time. So, what did Michael get up between season 3, episode 1 and season 3, episode 2 of Star Trek: Discovery? Let’s find out.

The Borg are back… again. And they’re hungry. They’re eating starships. They’re eating planets. They’re back for revenge. And now only Seven of Nine can stop them, with a little help from her friends.

Spoilers ahead!

In Greek literature, there was a man who coveted the king’s position. So the king agreed to let the man experience what it was like to have power. When the man took a seat at the throne, the king arranged to have a sword dangling above the man’s head, held in place by a single thread. In this Titan novel, the sword is “Erykon’s Eye”, and it dangles above an entire planet, threatening to unleash its awesome wrath. And Titan is caught in the crossfire.

Spoilers ahead!

Star Trek fans criticised previous relaunch books for their inconsistencies in tone, character, and direction. Can Christopher L. Bennett tie together the previous books, set up the forthcoming Destiny trilogy, and save the litverse from ruin?

Spoilers ahead!

The epic Star Trek: Destiny trilogy is finally upon us. This three-book, litverse crossover will shape the enter Star Trek shared continuity for years to come. David Mack has promised a truly epic, game-changer event with these books. This is a clash of civilizations: The Borg v The Federation. Who will win?

Spoilers ahead!

On Star Trek: The Next Generation, when Picard became Locutus and helped slay thousands at Wolf 359, that double episode was followed up with the episode Family, in which he travels to France to spend some time with his brother, of whom he does not get along with. William Leisner’s Losing The Peace is that kind of follow-up, giving the readers a moment to breathe after the epic events of Star Trek: Destiny.

Spoilers ahead

The Federation must deal with the fallout from the explosive events of Star Trek: Destiny. Poor President Bacco has developed a 24 hour migraine as she tries to patch the Federation back together. Who does she call? Why, none other than Earth’s resident problem solver and people persuader, Sonek Pran. The only battles in this book will be diplomatic ones. Star Trek: A Singular Destiny by Keith R.A. DeCandido offers a thoughtful epilogue to Destiny and also sets up some future storylines.

There is something to be said for getting back to the status quo. Namely, putting the Voyager crew back into their original seats… more or less. With Full Circle, author Kirsten Beyer sent the U.S.S. Starship Voyager hurtling back to the Delta Quadrant, thanks to some mean and lean slipstream technology. But the crew were still fractured, physically and emotionally — what will it take to bring Starfleet’s finest back to the adventure?

William T. Riker and the diverse crew of the U.S.S. Titan are back, this time in the hands of British author James Swallow. Following on from the lackluster Over A Torrent Sea (by Christopher L Bennet), I was hoping that Mr. Swallow could inject some fun and action into this spinoff book series. Did he succeed?

Spoilers ahead

Following up from two popular and successful Voyager novels, author Kirsten Beyer is back with her third post-Destiny Voyager instalment. Children Of The Storm takes place concurrently with the previous novel, Unworthy. Can Beyer score a hat-trick with book #3?

Spoilers ahead

Hot off the heels of his wildly successful Star Trek: Destiny trilogy, David Mack kicks off the Typhon Pact series with Zero Sum Game. In it, Julian Bashir teams up with his former love interest, Sarina Douglas, to infiltrate the Breen and destroy the stolen quantum slipstream prototype.

Spoilers ahead!

Author Michael A. Martin returns to Star Trek: Titan with Seize The Fire. The Gorn have joined the Typhon Pact, but they have a problem. Their warrior caste hatchery world has gone kablooey, and it’s nigh-impossible to find another suitable location. Lucky for them, they have a big ol’ terraforming device lying about. But Riker isn’t so keen on the idea of them using it…

Spoilers ahead!

The third book in the Typhon Pact series is here. Rough Beasts of Empire was written by David R. George III back in 2011. It’s a book of two parts: the first focuses on Benjamin Sisko (from Deep Space Nine) in the post Destiny era, and the second focuses on Spock and his quest for the reunification of Vulcan and Romulus.

Major spoilers ahead for both this book and Deep Space Nine (the tv series)

Kirsten Beyer is back with yet another Star Trek: Voyager novel. Protectors finds Admiral Janeway sent back to Earth for psych evaluations, while Chakotay and crew head out to re-investigate the spatial anomaly from the second season episode Twisted, in which Voyager encountered an anomaly which twists and distorts the ship’s internal layout.

Spoilers ahead

It’s been a while since we’ve had a TV-era Star Trek: The Next Generation novel hit the shelves. Shadows Have Offended is author Cassandra Rose Clarke’s Trek debut and features a story involving art theft, strange diseases and Picard’s impatience with Lwaxana Troi.

Spoilers ahead

Historian’s Note

The following takes place shortly after the events depicted in Star Trek: Destiny, in which the Federation is invaded by the Borg. Although the Federation prevailed, liberating billions of Borg drones in the process, they suffered huge casualties and are now faced with the difficulties of rebuilding.

2381 — U.S.S. Aventine

Chapter #1

Jadzia Dax, a joined Trill with all the memories of her previous hosts, catches up with her old pal Etom Prit. He’s got some bad news — his granddaughter Nemi has gotten into some strife, and he’s calling in a favour. In trying to find and help Nemi, Dax finds herself on Trill, embroiled in crime, politics, coverups and hidden agendas.

Full review: spoilers ahead.

Historian’s note: This story takes place just after the events depicted in Typhon Pact #1: Zero Sum Game, in which Captain Dax and the U.S.S. Aventine escorts Julian Bashir and Sarina Douglas to the border of Breen space.

2382 — U.S.S. Aventine

Recently, I did a re-watch of Star Trek: Voyager. From Caretaker to Endgame, it was quite a journey through the delta quadrant. Now, 20 years since the series finale, I have a few thoughts I’d like to share.

Confused about all the Star Trek books? Confused by all the terms: Relaunch, litverse, post-Nemesis continuity? Not sure where and how to start with Treklit? This article is a simple explainer.